Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Angels
by Buronzu
Summary: "The angel wings. A sign of prosperity, hope, and courage. A sign of good intentions and power to reclaim for the light. A sign of wits, willpower, and emotion.
1. Chapter 1

_"I always hated the angel wings. They were just another title for another set of select few. The place where I live, called Valor, is lorded over by this institution called the Nightlight Association. They're a 'modern day' replacement for the guilds in ancient days. Two kingdoms, Verity and Valor, had them as law enforcement, mailmen, and a bunch of other things. It's the driving muscle of the government, and a strong one at that. They're invincible._ "

A lone pokemon rustled half asleep.

" _I'd know. Their branch called 'The Angels' is a small team of pokemon that have abilities outside what their biology allows. Together, they're simply invincible plain and simple. Unlike them, I just had to be born on the wrong side of the world."_

The pokemon tossed and turned on a sad sack it used as a bed.

 _"From what I know, my parents gave me away when I was too young to remember to this gang called Street Breed. I've been 'learning' how to 'survive' on the streets with a bunch of thugs who hurt other pokemon. I don't know how or why, but I always knew they were just distorted. I'm not sure why I would know any better, being here all of my life, but I feel like I do. We fight Nightlights on the daily cause we're always stealing crap. Frankly, it would be easier if all these guys just got jobs. From what I can tell, they're just using it as an excuse. They have a ton of stuff. Enough to hold off Nightlights at least..._ "

The small pokemon curled up into a ball and decided it was comfortable.

"T _his feels sorta weird, just writing in a diary like this. Well, anyways, my name is Light. They just sort of gave that name to me when I got to this pigpen. Although sometimes they just call me rude name since I have a stutter... Don't have a last name that I know. We steal, fight Nightlights, and run. That's all we ever do. I feel guilty for being pretty good at the fighting part. Although, when it comes to fighting it just feels like most of the Nightlights are pretty bad... I'm an Eevee, with this weirdo look. I have completely white fur instead of brown, and two different color eyes. My left is white while my right eye is blue. Usually I have fur covering the blue eye. I don't really like attention, but when I get called cute or handsome it just... Is one of the things I like the most. Makes me feel like maybe I'm a bit of a chosen one myself. Whenever we're on our crappy 'job' though, I have to dye my fur completely brown and wear a plain dorky looking eye patch. Everyone would be able to recognize me if I did stuff as a cookie in a potato chip bag._ "

Light heard a small set of footsteps skulking near him. He closed his eyes and quietly laid on his small sheet of paper in response.

The steps ominously stopped just in front of him. Light kept his resolve in showing that he was asleep, and the footsteps began to creep away again.

" _We're more organized than basic rogues would be. If we didn't work as a tight team, we'd get royally screwed. That's why it's so hard trying to get out of here. As a 'pesky' kid, they've always got watchers. Being the only kid here, it sucks. The only reason I know how to write is because this one thing I learned happened saved our lives. The higher ups gave the nod to keeping me learning, even though I don't technically go to school. So that's why I can blend in with everyone else walking around the streets._ "

The Eevee gave a mental sigh.

" _But that's all I can do. Blend in. I'm always with someone who cuts off me from talking to people. Otherwise, I'd totally book it and they know it. I'd also tell Nightlights where we are to come and get me. I've been here for thirteen years from the sound of things, and I'm only fourteen. Sometimes I want to sneak into the armory and just make stuff explode so something would happen._ "

Light looked up to see the cave walls acting as prison bars to the sky.

" _Being underground all the time doesn't help either. The only glimmer of hope right now actually is that branch of the Association. We've met some of them out in the field, but we get away easily. Our group is on the most wanted list for that. But, if they attacked here we'd be screwed. Finally. The fighting would finally be intense enough for me to run. And the foolproof part is..._ "

Feeling more confident, Light sat up and looked a small nearby fire set up on the floor. He was alone in the small part of the cave and walked near the flame before continuing to write.

" _Even if I do end up dying in this somehow, I'm still free. My great escape starts now._ "

Being careful, Light tossed the paper into the flame and listened to the new soft crackling it made.

" _And I have an idea..._ "


	2. Chapter 2

Light woke up groggily to the same darkness that was in the night. He could tell the time by how he felt most days, usually only being off by less than an hour. The group had no schedule and never hustled except when they were on a mission that day. Most days Light was simply being trained, studying, and moseying. today was usually one of these days, but Light had to ask the higher-ups a favor and make it look worthwhile.

The Angel branch of the Nightlight Association was actually unidentified. Besides their powers, no one knew what the pokemon actually looked like, potentially because they were under eighteen. If he could make enough connections, he was sure he could figure out at least one of them.

" _And there's a perfect place to make connections with pokemon that should be around my age._ "

Light sat up and left his small area.

As one of the best and youngest fighters, Light always had his own space in his time there. In other bases as well, he always was made room for, and expected of intensely.

Light nor anyone else wasted common courtesy or greetings in the base. The motto here was 'born to survive', and they did little else. He had conversed with every base member to find they had dry ideals and little sense of direction. The most determination he'd heard was from a Luxio named Joey who wanted to join the Nightlights someday. Of course, Light was the only one who knew.

Light took a deep breath before entering a larger part of the cave. The leaders usually weren't awake, but Light became brave when he heard one of them quietly rambling. The room he looked into was an awkward shape and very difficult to see in.

"I want to g-go out and learn at a school." Light said bluntly. He made sure his voice was audible but not loud. They had told him time and time again to be straightforward whenever speaking with them. He didn't think he had said a simple hello to them in years.

"What even mate?!" a voice rung out followed by laughter, "You weirdo kid, you know how many kids don't want to go to school and you just walk in here!"

"This is the first I'm hearing about this..." a lower voice chimed.

"Oi. You all stay here, I'll talk to the kid real quick."

"Well, hurry up now! The storm is two minutes from moving and I'm not losing this round of Fortnight! We's way too good stuff this time!"

A Heliolisk groggily rubbed the back of his head as he approached vhim just outside the room.

"I know you could handle it, kid, but it's a waste of time. We already have alll the standard books and they don't know how to fight like we do."

"I w-want to talk to people. And t-they have things above standard, you know." Light added sarcastically.

"Yeah, but I need you to explain how it'd be useful for us." he looked back, "And quick, the storm's comin."

"I'd be able to be completely self-sufficient. I could learn everything necessary on my own time and accord."

"And for learning to fight like us?" he questioned seriously, "It ain't daisies, kid."

"They've t-things for that too."

"Bah, you spend too much time with that dreamer." the Heliolisk rolled his eyes, "Listen kid, I like that hunger you've got. But we'll fill it nice ourselves."

"No one here can f-fill the talking part." he sassed.

"Ain't our fault you don't like Fortnight." the Heliolisk's eyes thinned, "Know what? No. This screams itself as a lousy idea. You're not going anywhere today except fetching some grub. Go into the city and out, nothing more." he turned away, "And I don't want you talking today either since things are looking riled up."

"There isn't even a-any risk i-in that because o-of my f-fur!" he argued.

"There is. If we knew every enemy we've got then there wouldn't be. Now scram, kid."

"Alright. W-who do I have to t-take with me?" Light replied without emotion.

"You can do something like this alone, I'll trust you." he nodded, "Just no funny business."

As usual, Light was left angry and doing what they told him to do. He skulked away slowly with new daggers in his eyes.

" _I didn't expect it to work... But I don't feel like just not talking to anyone today. This sucks... But at least I get to go out alone today._ "

Light grabbed money from a small bucket left outside their room and a bag from the side of the entrance. The cave they stayed at own a dirty entrance that was easy to miss and displeasing to find. The entrance was more or less a hole in the ground crowded with weeds, thorns, and dust. With experience, he was able to climb outside with brushing up against the sides of the hole following a usual path.

" _Gr, stupid stuff._ " Light emerged shaking dirt off himself, " _I hate being stuck in in this rut..._ "

Light skulked through the forest feeling much better. Being alone was always a recharge on his energy he spent being around others.

" _Ugh, forgot to ask what we needed..._ " Light rolled his eyes to himself, " _I'll just grab a bunch of bad stuff that they eat and get a little bit of actual food for myself on the side..._ "

Light ate completely differently from everyone else at his base. He tracked himself for what he looked up in his textbook as "optimal". He was self-conscious enough to never eat in front of anyone else, although there were lots of things he never did around anyone. He could hold laughs in for hours.

" _Ugh, forgot to bring my cloth... I'll take the long route so less pokemon see me._ "

Light walked along the very outskirts of the city for a short while. Buildings were scattered unevenly and had no correlation in purpose. When he started to continue further in, the buildings gained lines they began to follow. He was still in a heavily local area that wasn't' overly-excited to interact like the pokemon in the more populated areas. While most here minded their own business, every single pokemon he met in the other regions had the need to comment on his fur.

The roads were still dirt at this point in the city, which still resembled a simple village with how far in he went.

" _Eh? What's that?_ "

As Light walked into the plain looking store, he heard a happy sounding song being sung as a small group of pokemon went down the street. He had never seen them before, but he was able to tell all of their species'.

"Eh? Wondering about those guys?" The store clerk, an Ampharos, asked. "They're promoters for the Nightlight Association. Lancelot in particular."

"Uhm, Lancelot?" he questioned quietly.

"You really do live under a rock." the Ampharos sulked, "Lancelot is the Overlord Rank of the Association. He's pretty much leader, and happens to be their strongest to boot. If the N.A. had a king, it's him. He's a harsh leader, but many Nightlights advocate for him. I mean, he organized the Angel Branch himself."

"I d-don't really watch t-the news." Light relented, "I have enough stresses."

"Well, kid. You shouldn't be watching the news because you're still young, not cause of that." he shrugged, "So, whatcha buyin?"

"Just the usual. T-thanks Mr. Spencer."

Light returned quickly without anything usual befalling him. He was going about his business stocking the food and returning to his room when he saw the Heliolisk in front waiting for him.

"Hey, got someone for you." Help satisfy those thirsts to learn and such." he grinned.

"No, j-just forget I s-said anything." Light denied.

"Eh, too late. The offer was given out and taken very quickly, and by the best. You're one lucky kid! Your new master will suit you perfectly!"

"T-that's now w-what I meant by l-learning!" Light's eyes thinned, "And I s-said by myself!"

"Listen kid." he hushed, "Don't burst out too loudly. Alright, listen up. This is a deal between us and that group on the others side of town. It's the both of us putting up a white flag, y'hear?! It's life and death important that you just roll with this."

"This i-isn't quite what I asked f-for." Light whispered.

"Saw an opportunity and took it, kid. You should do the same." he said like a command, "She's a beast."

"She?"

"Deal with it, Light." he sighed.

"So that's your name? Hmph, seems as an odd choice, especially for this band of brutes to pick."

A Leafeon with a formal accent walked into torchlight. Her high voice made Light feel uneasy.

"This is Charlotte." the Heliolisk introduced, "She'll teach skills that are actually useful to us, and only those skills."

"It's good to finally meet you, Light." she added, "Now I don't have to fear your skills as that of an enemy."

"Nice t-to meet you." Light replied with effort.

From what Light could observe, the Leafeon was about twice his age of fourteen. However, she seemed to carry herself carefully as if she were much more delicate. Light couldn't even imagine a possible reason.

"Your training starts now, by the way." she sounded like a bell, "First I just need to assess your condition."


	3. Chapter 3

Light was ordered to lead the Leafeon to the main hall where they practiced. It was the only room they had lit with electricity created by different electric pokemon taking shifts when practice was being done. An Electrode was already inside powering the low budget hanging light bulbs.

"So, what exactly did you want with a school anyways?" the Leafeon asked curiously.

"Just to interact." Light waved off.

"Don't lie with me." Charlotte sang, "You'll regreeeeet it."

Light was intimidated by her implication. Demanding his own thoughts was a steep command he wasn't willing to obey.

"I d-don't have many friends, in c-case they didn't say." he replied nonchalantly.

"I already knew that just from reports." she shrugged, "Now then, once I see how good you actually are at fighting I'll decide where we'll start for lessons. We'll just do two simple things for now. I'll attack and see how you do, then you attack and I'll see how you do. Fair?"

Light nodded. He jumped back and tensed for attacks. The Leafeon used really slow razor leaves to attack from far away. Not sure what else to do, Light dodged them simply using the least energy possible.

"Good, good!" she applauded after a short round, "Your turn."

Light used a very quick paced hidden power, but the Leafeon simply took a position and didn't moved as he fired it. They all passed skimming her limbs and scorched the cave ground. The smoke quickly left and the marks were impossible to see as usual.

" _She has some sort of skill to tell the trajectory of attacks in advance, or is experience?_ " Light wondered.

"So, what did you just think?" she questioned impatiently.

"That you're, uh... Very t-talented." Light murmured.

"Why, thank youuuuuu!" she accepted, "You've got the right stuff too, you know."

"So, what d-do you think?" Light rushed.

"Well, I think you're all set to learn my style, since you seem to know more than just the basics." she smiled, "So, tell me, what do you know about tangential speed?"

"The speed from traveling off of a circular path?" Light asked.

"See, what do you need school for?" she asked rhetorically, "I make sure to harness all sorts of different speeds to increase my force. At the outer edge of tangential speed, you pretty much just multiply the distance from the center of the movement and speed in radians per second..."

"U-uhm, I already know this..." Light nervously interrupted.

"Well, to the point then." she responded, "By mastering this, you can hit fast and hard. And that force in particular is just a start. I'm not going to assume you're some physics master, but by the end of this you'll have combat to a science sou you can do anything you want with it."

" _It's a lie that I can do what I want with it. I just need to get out somehow, then I can._ " Light rolled his eyes.

"Anyways," she continued, "You're a pretty smart kid. You'll be able to figure it out from tonight. We're attacking a Nightlight supply dome."

"W-what!?" Light stammered.

"Hey, both you guys and the team I'm in are working together. And this is our definition of a celebration. We're going to be seeing a lot of combat on the way in according to our current plan, so you'll be staying close to me." she nodded happily, "Oh, and lots of them will be watching, so look pretty."

"But, why s-so soon? And w-why that as a t-target?"

"Uh, because they're big and I'm strong." she shrugged, "You're not scared, are you?"

"It's a base of the Nightlight Association. It's against l-logic."

"Actually," she thought, "This is the only night we can probably do it."

Light looked at her waiting for an explanation.

"Well," she clapped her hands together, "We have word that the Nightlight leader and a small portion of the Angel Branch are actually away from Valor at the moment doing something in Verity. They wouldn't have the muscle to stop both teams from busting in and running away." her eyes thinned and she gave a creepy smile, "Or us, to be precise."

"Although the Angels are a small group, they alone aren't the deciding factor in this battle of strength." he reasoned.

"Well..." she purred, "You see, after you get to a high enough level you tend to have few concerns about combat except for the big boys. I don't think I've had problems with a master rank in years."

Light confusedly watched the Leafeon turn and walk out of the room. Light looked at the inattentive Electrode in the corner and back unsure of what to do.

"You can only stop following me when I say, by the way!" she called.

"Brat..." Light mouthed to himself as he followed quickly.

"We're going out, so grab anything you need from your room." she ordered.

The Leafeon sat down as Light quickly went inside his area of the cave. He grabbed his white cloak and put it on while exiting. He noticed her chuckling with her tail covering her face.

"What i-is it?" Light asked.

"Nope. We'll make it part of your social training." she smirked, "You wouldn't believe me otherwise."


	4. Chapter 4

The Leafeon, Charlotte, forced Light to follow along at a brisk pace until they had a reach a small square. The amount of commerce seemed to choke the air and made Light take an uneasy stance whenever they stopped walking.

"So, obviously this place is shaped like a square. If you want to see all four corners at once, where should you be?" she quizzed.

"Uhm, a corner." Light sweat dropped.

"Good, very good." she replied leading him, "So, we're going to play a little game and see how you do."

"A game for training?" Light inquired, "Alright, I suppose."

"You're going to be guessing everyone's social relations as they walk by in pairs and groups. For example, like if a group is family, just of siblings, or friends." she explained, "I'll explain its importance afterward."

"O-ok..." Light answered oddly.

"Alright, now I'll point them out to you."

Light simply watched her instead of the scenery as her eyes scattered around.

"That Snubbull, on that bench. What's her status with that Grumpig?" she asked.

Light's eyes followed where her's was to find the pair of pokemon. They were talking with the Grumpig seeming to act a bit extra.

"Siblings?" Light guessed.

"No, sorry." she shrugged smiling, "The Grumpig is attempting to court the Snubbull. Alright, next is up is that Klefki and and Ferrothorn on the top of that house. What do you suppose they're up too?"

Light saw that the building was made of steel and the two were bickering on the top. They glared into each other's eyes as they spoke.

"Uhm, construction workers?" Light said.

"No, they live there. The Klefki is a bit older looking, so he could be a relative." she sung.

"How can y-you be so sure?" he questioned.

"I believe this sort of thing is simply experience." she sighed, "Tell me, how familiar are you with family?"

"Uhm, my books only told me how parents have children."

Light watched the Leafeon's face change almost seem to change color in her frown. He could tell he had struck something emotional.

"Ah, as expected." she quietly replied, "Well, see, the family is the foundation for society. It consists of parents, siblings, aunts and uncles, grandparents, cousins, and so on. A healthy family can tend to operate well in society while and unhealthy or non-existent one causes problems."

"I don't have anything you just listed, so does that mean I have problems?" Light asked seeming offended.

"Well, let me explain." she answered nervously, "See, it's a problem because we're meant to have relationships with others. Even at your base you seem separated from everything else."

"They're heathens." Light said bluntly.

"Well, I mean, yeah..." she sighed, "But during our training, I'm willing to let you use it as an excuse to talk to other pokemon. They usually have some keep watch over you, yes?"

Light nodded.

"Yes, well, you needn't worry about such rules when under my watch. I want you to interact with others."

"R-really? I j-just thought t-that-"

"Don't worry." she interrupted, "I have your back. And because I have your back, I feel it's my duty to finish off the game on this note. What do you think others see observing us?"

"Uhm..." Light thought for a moment, "Mother and son?"

She shook her head chuckling.

"I thought t-that one made sense..."

"You were close.." she leaned in, "Sorry, but look like a in that cloak." she whispered.

"That doesn't m-make sense." Light denied.

The Leafeon put her tail over her face while grabbing Light's head and turning it. A Timburr, Swadloon, and Skitty were all staring at him with red faces. The Leafeon broke down laughing as Light's face turned green.

"W-why?" he whimpered.

"Well, you have a pretty face. You just haven't grown enough to where pretty becomes handsome yet, and with that cloak hiding your other attributes you just look like an emo girl." she explained through laughs, "And I hear that's actually a hot topic in these parts."

Light looked left and right with a subtly horrified look. Every time he noticed another he looked more and more ill.

"Ok, c'mon." she sighed smiling, "We're heading back."

Light followed directly behind her tensely. He avoided looking up at other pokemon to hide his face as the Leafeon managed them through the crowds.

"You know, if you took off the cloak, lean muscle would give you attention that wouldn't make you look sick." Charlotte smirked slyly looking behind her.

"I beg to differ," Light argued, "Y-you have no i-idea."

"The whole color thing?" she asked, "I doubt that'd be too bad."

"Well, I know i-it is from experience." Light's eyes wandered.

The Leafeon quietly led the Eevee following that. She didn't say much besides courtesies to other pokemon passing by. Her attempt to let time cool down Light's troubles had failed as she saw the expression on his face continue to be dim.

As they continued, the Leafeon continually looked back to him to see little sign of improvement. The road soon became dirt as they slowly left the city and the amount of other pokemon decreased.

"You ought to be happy with your body." she said slowly.

Light looked up at her surprised.

"Well," she turned, "You have a lot going for you. Not everyone has what you do. I've known a lot of pokemon who would die to have attention that they want. You may have it tough in some aspects, but you have more than enough to be happy about."

"I do my best." Light replied drearily.

"Let's get ready for tonight. I'll give you the rundown myself, and rules that I follow." she added, "And I expect you to follow them too. They're for safety."

"Safety? In this?" Light asked awkwardly.

"For your future. You're going to take your future, yes?" she smirked, "My main goal is to affirm that."

"I don't have a future where I am. All I do is deal with today." he sulked.

"Just put a little extra for tomorrow. I'll give you a little push."

Light watched her drearily as she thought to herself.


	5. Chapter 5

Light was forced to let the Leafeon into his room. Although he enjoyed the idea of company, he found himself scratching at his fur when put into practice.

"So, we're going over the basic rules for working together first." the Leafeon smiled sitting down, "I only have three basic rules for you to follow."

"Ok." Light shifted awkwardly still standing.

"Follow my directions, no harm to anyone or anything beyond necessary, and you are to act as minimally as possible."

"As minimally as possible?" Light questioned, "Normally I'm asked to d-do everything in my ability."

"Well, I've been doing some digging, and you don't have any bounties on your head or your fake persona. I'd prefer to keep it that way."

"It's only t-hat way because I've been careful, n-not because I haven't acted." Light sat.

"Yes, but there's not even much good reason to act. There's no reason for you to take risks for these guys. Just keep on the down low." she persuaded, "On only one condition will you act as much as possible."

"If..." Light thought, "Another life is i-n danger?"

"Oh!' Charlotte clapped, "I didn't think you'd think of that by yourself."

"W-what!?" Light hissed.

"I mean, no offense." she backed off, "But, I mean... Where did you learn morals from?"

"I'm n-not a stranger to getting out of their e-eyesight you k-know." he sassed.

"Yes, but there are other trails than just visual." she explained, "There's all sorts of new technology for tracking. Cameras, tracks, even genetic code can be flagged. There are no defenses to pretty minor slip-ups now. Which is why you just need to be patient with getting out of here safely..."

Light blinked at her comment but ended up only nodding.

"The mission tonight is raiding a Nightlight Dome that acts as a bank for their agents. The haul, resistance, and level would only be topped by a straight up attack on the Nightlight Tower." her ears dropped, "Their is no discretion in this mission. We are fighting our way in, and fighting our way out. Our main place we're heading to is Lancelot's bank holdings, which has a lifetime of valuables in it he's found from his travels."

"It's m-most likely that we would all end up trapped i-inside. Having f-force to match Nightlight agents is a different story than having force t-to match the Angel Branch."

"Our plan for us is going to be focused on our own escape." her eyes straightened, "Most of them barely have any desire to escape if they do get captured. Years have taken most of their willpower to survive. We must focus on ourselves to get out of this in one piece."

"So, w-what does t-this e-entail?" Light furrowed an eyebrow.

"Well, don't even bring anything for the mission at hand." she thought, "Only what you need to get out."

Light say shifting awkwardly. He occasionally looked to her to see she was daydreaming. He cleared his throat quietly.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, "Sorry. Anyways..."

Light was caught off guard to see her reveal a small brown satchel to open. She grabbed a small thick black book without words on either side and offered it to him.

"What is this?" Light asked taking it.

"It's pretty much my life teachings." she smirked, "From morals to battle. All of it's in there. I want you to take it with you."

"We're n-not staying together!?" Light looked at her surprised.

"I still have duties here, you'll know when you read it. I'm your teacher cover to cover, remember that." she gave a wavering smile, "I'll leave you to go get ready."

To Light, the Leafeon seemed to storm out of the room. He was left with a headache from being angry and stressed imagining being on his own. Although stress made the task longer, he gathered materials to fit Charlotte's quota. He brought Luminous Orbs that exploded light, Blast Seeds that caused explosions, and the book all carried in the satchel she left.

" _I wonder what she plans to do... She must be here for a reason. She's too normal not to have her hand forced some way. It may be in her book..._ "

Tempted to skim through it quickly, Light held off on even opening the book as he put in in the satchel. He never wanted a life story to be just looked at, but learned from. With his stresses, he couldn't take it in properly.

After preparing and applying dye to make his fur look like a normal Eevee's, Light simply walked around to watch what the others are doing. He was disturbed to see them not only carrying weapons around, but also balloons that weren't filled with air huge amounts of sweet food.

" _This is insane. What are they thinking? What's wrong with them!?_ "

"Oi, Light!" a Treecko called out from across the room, "Which squad are ya in? First, middle, or last?"

Too shy to call back, Light looked both ways around him as he went forward and got closer. The Treecko set down a bag and looked up towards him.

"Uhm, s-squads?" Light questioned.

"Yah, we're all storming in." he shrugged, "First up front, last in the back."

" _Logically, the most hidden from sight is just behind the front in the center, but he might call me out for that._ "

"Uhm, t-the back I b-believe."

"Ah, shame. I'm up front. See ya during the party."

" _Insane..._ "

Light sat idly with bad attempts to mentally prepare himself before he was called to leave. The Heliolisk looked at him excitedly as he called his name.

"C'mon Light, you're stickin with me! I won the rock-paper-scissors tourney!" he smirked.

"You s-seem awfully c-cheerful." Light greeted, "I don't see any sort of occasion, though."

"Eh, don't be that one stick in the mud. I'll see you crack a smile yet." he winked, "Now, c'mon. We're in the dead center of this all. And take this."

The Heliolisk threw a small beaded circle for Light to catch. It was made of steel and looked extremely plain save for a few buttons.

"A comms system so good I reckon we'll hear each other breathe. Now let's hop to it!"

Light failed to notice that everyone had slowly disappeared from the cave. He nervously followed the Heliolisk up and out of the cave keeping directly behind him.

"C'mon, kid. You're old enough to know how to walk side by side like a normal pokemon." he sassed.

"I a-am aware."

"You don't have to be worried." he assured, "Despite what the others say, I have a plan. A good one." We have someone to use as a way to completely control the situation."

"I don't l-like being i-in the d-dark."

The Heliolisk stopped walking and turned around in a slightly confrontational manner on the dusty road. He looked at Light with his arms crossed and a smile.

"Oh, you have no idea. Our trump card."

He turned back to walking with a held back chuckle. Light continued to follow with new guesses to ponder.


	6. Chapter 6

The Eevee watched the as the city of Valor continued to bustle at night. Most pokemon didn't even seem to notice the change from daytime to nighttime as they entered more crowded areas. Shops were still open and the street lights kept it as bright as day.

"Alright, party's starting." the Heliolisk whispered to Light, "Press that big button and keep it with you when we get further inside."

"Where is this place?"

"See that black dome?" the Heliolisk pointed, "It has lots of wide open space around it with brick flooring. That's what all the Nightlight domes look like. Follow me, closely. We're heading in."

Although the pair of them stood out in the open space, Light knew they didn't appear unusual and wished that they did. They approached the large automatic door and stepped in to an intense scene.

Nightlights were scattered along walls all completely backed to them at the threat of attacks. A few of them just stood protectively in front of the others. None of them showed signs of being willing to resist as their were a few pokemon who had taken hits on the floor.

"We've the numbers to hold down the hold place, and it's helpful this place is built like a fortress to start with." the Heliolisk explained casually, "Now you actually have quite the special role for us here. We're treating you like a prince. Sort of are one."

"W-what do y-you mean?" Light asked tensely.

"Well, we're not taking any hostages. But we do have pretty great conditions to keep them away for our party. We estimate we're going to be here for about two or three weeks." he bragged.

"Cut this. What are you using me for!?" Light demanded harshly, "I don't like this at all."

"Oi, kiddo!" A Breloom off to the side of their path responded, "You're a special kid is all you need to know right now. You'll know everything in just a few minutes, and there ain't no goin back!"

"Savor it, Light. Savor that name." the Heliolisk smirked.

" _I'd so be out if the Nightlights hadn't mobilized already. We were the last ones inside._ "

"Follow me. We've already chosen where you're staying."

Light followed to find the inside was quieter and already under complete control. There were many restrained pokemon by different methods for each, but they all appeared to be in little pain. Light kept away from making eye contact.

"We're getting these guys off the party floor in just a bit." the Heliolisk commentated, "We're going to hang out in the main room for a lil bit..."

Light saw less and less pokemon as they continued down scattered hallways. They sudden;y came across two large twin doors that were decorated in red and yellow swirling colors.

"Big bad's in here." the Heliolisk smirked.

"Isn't that t-technically you?" Light hissed.

"Watch the attitude and watch the door."

The Heliolisk approached to seemingly put an ear to the door when an small explosion burst them open. He jumped back just in time to avoid the doors flying open.

A Hitmonlee came and quickly attacked the Heliolisk with boxing techniques. He quickly avoided a side swing by snaking close up to him and grabbing the Himtonlee's neck.

Light half-closed his eyes at the flash of electricity until the Hitmonlee quickly fell to the floor.

"See, Nightlight Domes have so-called captains. They run the places." the Heliolisk smirked, "They tend to only be a little stronger than a gold rank though."

Light gasped as he lost his footing when the Hitmonlee quickly did a low leg sweep to get him on the floor. The Heliolisk immediately grabbed onto the Hitmonlee while being on the floor and used an even brighter electric attack.

Stunned, but still standing, the Hitmonlee grasped at its head.

"A lil more tricky though." the Heliolisk stood up.

The Heliolisk promptly used an electroweb attack and stuck the Hitmonlee against the wall painfully.

"C'mon, Nightlight communicators ought to be in there."

Light noticed the Heliolisk was in a hurry and followed him closely inside. He watched his eyes glance around the room until he found what he was looking for.

"Yo! I'm here." a Magmortar reported.

"Alright, let's make it good. Light, stand back out of view from this here." the Heliolisk tapped on a small metal object that resembled a lamp on the desk.

Light did as told and watched the Heliolisk push a simple button on a small metal bead.

"Hey, this is yer captain speaking!" he started, "Long story short, we've got more hostages than Nightlights trying to storm, so back off!"

The commotion Light could hear in the distance from the halls ceased immediately. He didn't notice it at all until it stopped.

"Good, good! Well, tune in later for some special news! Live from the Interstellar Party! I'm Jonathan, and I'll be your charming host!"

Light shook his head and regained focus.

" _I have to find a place and quickly make a stash before these guys rob the place. There has to be something useful._ "

Light slowly bowed out as the Heliolisk continued to babble over the intercom.

"Oi, stay with us." the Magmortar ordered.

Light only growled to himself in reply.

"We've got tons of special guests this week. We'll be introducing a few of them on camera!

" _Nightlight domes aren't usually like this. Their's normally a huge main floor area where all the rooms in the building can be accessed from. Since this one doubles as a bank, it's made like this to be defensive. Did he choose this one for that as too!?_ "

"Stay tuned. Real tuned."

The Heliolisk turned off the device and immediately looked at Light.

"So, whatcha wanna do? Hole yourself up like usual?" he shrugged.

"I want t-to not b-be in the d-dark." Light hissed.

"Ok, fine." he shrugged.

The Heliolisk looked at the Magmortar then back at Light. Light could tell his reaction was being watched carefully.

"You're that Lancelot's kid."

"E-explain." Light kept his voice as dry as possible.

"Well, I'm sure you know at least a tiny bit about Lancelot." he laughed.

"Hardly." Light replied.

"He's the head of the Association." the Magmortar cut in, "Me and a tactical squad sabotaged and burned a Nightlight Dome to the ground. Casualties were his wife and supposedly his son."

"You see, we were never immigrants into Valor that stirred up trouble." the Heliolisk rolled his eyes, "We're Nightlights. Ex-Nightlights."

"None o-of this explains what I t-truly asked. Why?"

"We're avenging an old comrade, that's why. And we want your help to do it. His name was-"

"I don't care about y-your agenda."

"Uhm, but that's what you just asked for..." the Heliolisk sweat dropped, "Geez, I wasn't this moody as a teen." he muttered.

"W-why are we r-right here, right now?" Light asked clearly.

"We're luring in the Angel Branch of the Nightlight Association to trap and kill them." the Heliolisk replied, "And hopefully Lancelot."

"And you think that I w-will approve of this?"

"If I were you, I would approve just for my own good." the Magmortar threatened.

"But it's too late for that now."

Light was trapped in a quickly flung electroweb. He barely felt any pain but decided to fake a short cry.

"You stay here. We're finishing this soon." the Heliolisk ordered, "How's the setup?" the Heliolisk asked holding his own small bead.

"Already set. Locked tight, but not too tight." a voice responded.

"All ends are good." another voice assured.

"Good, I'm taking care of our little prince here."

The Heliolisk quickly tied the net's top and carried it like a bag.

After a short moment, Light used a trump card attack, which solidified a small card made from his own energy. He slashed the bottom of the net and quickly fell out before slashing at the Heliolisk's heel. Not wasting any time after, Light held his card with a back-handed style and slammed it into his stomach. Light immediately felt vulnerable despite the pitch black walls of the hallway. Blue flowed through them providing as much light as in the daytime.

" _This can go sour fast._ "

From seemingly nowhere. Light felt a huge electric shock shake him to the floor. He was left simmering on the floor unable to pick his head up.

"Nice shot, kid. You've a good chance with us yet."

Light mentally panicked at the unfamiliar voice. He strained himself to stand up slowly and looked in the direction of footsteps. A Jolteon paused walking and stared at him oddly.

"You can..."

Light focused energy into his paws and slammed them into the ground. The attack lit up the whole hallway, but Light immediately ran not waiting to look for his reaction.

Light continued running straight for a short time until turning a few corners. Although he didn't know where he was going, the Jolteon or Heliolisk would have no trail to follow.

Light mentally covered his mouth when he crossed one corner. A Luxio and Marill were on the floor with two pokemon he didn't recognize looming over them. He quickly backtracked behind the corner before they saw him.

" _Was this a set up?_ "

Light turned and ran the opposite way the group was looking. He quickly turned another corner and kept running. With a renewed sense of urgency, he ran with little regards to hiding. He started to hear small skirmishes in other hallways.

"Light, follow where the lights are coming from!"

Light saw Jonathan the Luxio call out to him as he defended against attacks from a Gifarig. Light only half nodded and followed his directions.

Light knew the blue lights indicated the power supply of the building somehow, so he hoped following them meant he would find a safe haven inside or a way out.

Light quickly found stairs leading downwards from a hallway and took them following the lights. To Light, they were appearing to grow brighter as he followed where they were coming from. Although his instincts told him this meant going towards the center, the fighting heard behind him startled him to continue.

The rest of the pass was oddly linear except for two quick corners. The lights grew to be too intense for Light to feel comfortable looking at them directly. Up ahead he saw a light like the sun the made him squint his eyes as he ran towards it. He came across a large opening where it must much easier to see around him. The entire chamber was filled with veins leading to the bright light in the center. Light still couldn't quite look at it directly.

" _It's wide open here. There's no way to defend myself or hide._ " Light questioned.

Light looked back at the entrance to see the Heliolisk staring at him with a sullen look. Many pokemon were behind his back wearing different expressions of joy.

"This is what we've been readying for, Light." the Heliolisk announced.

"This room..." the Magmortar approached, "Is your purpose."


	7. Chapter 7

Light frowned at them.

"What was the point of it all, then?"

"You're not-" The Magmortar was cut off by the Heliolisk putting his hand over his face.

"We needed your bio-energy. You have a ton of natural energy needed to trigger what we wanted." the Heliolisk answered, "You deserve an explanation."

Light angrily sat down irritated he couldn't do anything waiting to listen.

"You see, bio-energy is something everyone has, some more than others. Your father has a ton, and so did your mother." the Heliolisk shrugged, "That's why we stole you away. We needed a large amount of bio-energy for this."

The Heliolisk held up a white orb that shined intensely as an explosion in the light. Light squinted his eyes and didn't look directly at it.

"A powerful dragon disappeared when mystery dungeons disappeared in the ancient days. Our research shows enough bio-energy in this orb to level the Nightlight Tower, but it needs a large spark of energy to get it going again. Our approximation for how long it has been asleep is five-thousand years."

"That reactor behind you is a bio-energy generator that powers the city." the Magmortar cut in, "We reckon it's enough, but we can't just put it directly to the dragon."

"It has to be a natural process, with a natural sort of cable." the Heliolisk paced, "It takes a pokemon. A pokemon who could use the energy in the reactor and transfer it naturally to awaken the beast."

"And after it's awake..."

Light was visibly alarmed to see the Luxio Jonathan appear from behind the Heliolisk.

"We're going to enslave it with our combined forces and use it to level all Nightlight bases, permanently."

Light got over his shock of feeling betrayed and set it aside.

"From what you're telling me, it sounds like a legendary pokemon. No normal force would be capable of controlling it, especially in close quarters like this."

"We've been training since we first took you." the Magmortar smirked, "The strongest and most talented pokemon in the world are in this room, armed to the teeth."

"And if I disagree and think you are unable?" Light asked dryly.

"Light, please." the Heliolisk smirked with an eyebrow up approaching, "No one cares about what you want here. We've taken care of you just for this."

" _He's off._ " Light blinked.

"We never cared about how happy you are, or you. Once you're out there in the real world, not one of us is going to help you."

Once the Heliolisk got closer to him, he pulled out a luminous orb, which emits a powerful flash, from the satchel he carried out of their view. Light began to recognize his sarcasm.

"After today, we're not hanging together anymore, thank goodness." he laughed, "Good luck, we're not seeing you after this after all."

Light recognized the well-hidden sarcasm in every phrase. He looked just behind the Heliolisk to see the Jonathan the Luxio and Charlotte the Leafeon both nodding intently. A few other pokemon he recognized were also looking at him intently. Struck with emotion, Light blinked back a sudden tear.

"See ya." the Heliolisk smirked.

He crushed the orb in his hands and Light bolted past him. Although the flash itself lasted less than a second, chaos broke afterward in the direction he was heading. Light saw the entire group fighting among itself randomly. No one who wasn't on Light's side knew what was happening or who to strike.

Running through the chaos, Charlotte alone cleared a thick running path as he went. He looked back only to see her gesturing hurriedly for him to keep going.

"You inspire me!" she shouted, "Go get out of here!"

Light started to sprint determined. Although loud fighting and shouting stayed behind him, he had an Eelektross and Torracat pursuing him. Attacks slapped the walls as he started back up the stairwell.

" _I dunno what you guys know, or what you've been told._ " the Heliolisk's loud voice sounded over the building, " _Missing, dead, taken. Lancelot, your son was the white star. To us who had no moonlight to work in, he always showed us the way."_

Light turned a corner with his feet scraping the floor in a metal sound with his claws.

" _We wanted to teach him the world was harsh. His child-like innocence revealed to us it was kind. We wanted to shut him away from everything, but he opened all our doors._ "

Light turned another corner and saw it was a straight path to the main entrance. He saw a Carnivine far ahead.

" _We wanted to teach him to never look back like a juggernaut, but he waited for us every time. I didn't think anyone could met old soldiers like us, but he went the extra miles and pressed hard stone hearts to diamonds. I don't think the Nightlight Association could ask for a better prince. I don't think I could ask for a better son._ "

An explosion happened almost in sink with a flame burst fired by the Torracat over the intercom.

" _We didn't exactly do well with being emotional with you, but we love you Angelo._ "

Getting closer to the Carnivine, he also saw a Blastoise and Bisharp waiting there too. He could tell they were too strong for him to defeat alone.

" _The glass is down over the dome entrance. I just need to hit the lever on the desk._ "

"Stop him!" a cry sounded behind him.

The Blastoise quickly looked and fired hydro pump in seconds. Light stood on two legs and covered his eyes with his paws. The force of the water quickly started to send Light sliding back.

" _Not when I'm so close._ " Light defied, " _I haven't learned to control my bio-energy like Charlotte has, but something tells me just having it will be enough today._ "

Light wildly let energy loose from his body. The pressure immediately subsided as two pokemon behind him were pushed violently away and the Blastoise's attack was stopped cold.

Light went back on all fours and stared down the Blastoise. The Blastoise was immediately taken aback.

Light charged with a trump card in his hand and long jumped to slap the Blastoise across the face with it. While he was stumbling back, the Bisharp charged jabbing with one of his arms.

Light landed on his front to paws in a handstand to let the jab go right in front of him. He wrapped his legs around the Bisharp's arm and hung on as he pulled it back. He surprised the Bisharp with a similar hit to its head. His only reaction was slowly turning his attention to him.

" _These two are too difficult to knock out, and I can't out endure three of them._ "

The entrance was a plain circular shape, but the walls had strangely become only glass. Light could see intense activity outside.

The Bisharp approached the still close wall. Light dropped off of him once before he slammed his arm into the wall and dented it. The Bisharp tried to stomp on Light, but he landed on his feet and ran back behind him.

The Carnivine was charging at Light with its mouth open, but Light jumped above and scraped a trump card over it's body. It fell on the floor next to the Bisharp writhing.

Light looked over to his left to see the Blastoise leaning against the wall in the hallway. He had burns on his body from Light breaking his attack.

"Whoa." Light remarked aloud.

All of his attention turned to the Bisharp walking confidently towards him. The Bisharp began to smash relentlessly on the ground with each hit well aimed at Light. Every strike left a dent on the floor with a slight tremor, but the Bisharp remained unfazed.

" _I've never seen him before, he must be high on the ladder for the other group._ "

Light turned around watching his back in the reflection the glass walls gave. He ran towards a desk with a short lever on the top corner of it.

He saw the Bisharp quickly prepare and fire a dark pulse attack. Light ducked slightly, but watched it soar high over him and smash into the desk. Light turned back glaring daggers.

" _Didn't realize to defend it in time. He was too quick._ "

The floor started to get shadowy as more pokemon showed up in front and blocked the light from the buildings outside. Light couldn't tell exactly where they were from.

The Bisharp began walking to Light cockily again.

" _No other choice. My strength has to be enough, right now._ "

"Look over there." the Bisharp gestured with his head and stopped walking.

Light saw a Dragonite striking the glass with horrific blows from the other side. Even though their strength was obvious, Light couldn't even hear them.

"Little Eevee, those Nightlights and your father now get the assurance you're dead. I will finally give them peace. It'd be a cleaner peace if you'd allow it." his deep voice rolled.

"You don't k-know a t-thing about peace."

" _White star? Are you out yet!?_ " a voice sounded in Light's earpiece.

"Open the entrance, now!"

On Light's aggressive whisper, the Bisharp struck at Light to miss when he rolled back.

" _I can't! The reactor's been hit! You're about to be in the dark! The paths out to where you are were blocked!_ "

Light continued backing up as the Bisharp almost playfully continued to jab at him. Light saw the power outage coming from down the hallway, and slid underneath his legs as it reached him. He immediately started to stalk silently as the Light's flickered out.

"Not shabby. It's a shame I'm a dark type pokemon."

The Bisharp slowly turned around and directly faced him.

"The only one with impaired vision in here is you."

The Bisharp struck at Light as quickly as he could, and Light forced to cover his face with his paws and take the blows. The Bisharp paused a short moment only to strike Light roughly in the stomach. He was sent sliding on his paws as he held it writhing.

Light was grabbed and held up by one of his paws. The grip alone made him give a shout.

"If you were older and more nourished, no pokemon like me would have a chance. So then, boy, time for you to go. I'm getting rid of a problem in the future."

Light heard a small cracking noise. The Bisharp's attention shot to it as another one from the same place came. Light took the chance and slammed a trump card into his stomach. The Bisharp let him drop to the ground as he reeled back. Light immediately scrambled away from him.

The sound of shattering glass and sudden light in the room made Light's adrenaline higher than he though possible. Directly in the light, a Dragonite with a golden piece of armor on his right arm stood with a serious glare and was in the stance after a strong punch.

"Father!" Light shouted.

The Bisharp charged to grab Light, but he repelled him with a hidden power attack that sent orbs of energy hurdling towards him. The Bisharp was sent stumbling back before the Dragonite put his arm over the Bisharp's shoulder.

Light winced as the Bisharp was sent hurdling with a scream outside of the dome. Flurries of colors followed shortly after he landed.

The Dragonite flew close and stopped directly in front of Light in an instant. He stared out Light moving his mouth randomly like he was speaking gibberish to himself. Light immediately noticed he was much smaller than normal Dragonites.

"There are p-pokemon helping me that a-re trapped b-below!" Light said quickly.

The Dragonite nodded and turned away. He smashed into the floor with his right arm and ripped a large hole in the floorboard. Light jumped onto his shoulder as he flew down into the hallway below.

"They are b-by the r-reactor."

Light let off five orbs of the hidden power attack and kept them around the pair for light. The Dragonite looked back at him.

"We have to go!" Light whined.

"Indeed." the Dragonite shook his head, "I must focus."

" _Whoa, deep voice..._ "

Light kept the orbs following the pair for light as the Dragonite started to fly down the halls.


	8. Chapter 8

"A-are you t-there?" Light asked after activating his earpiece.

After a moment, Light's only greeting was silence.

"Look sharp." the Dragonite warned with a whisper. In response, Light stopped supporting his hidden power orbs and let them dissipate.

They entered from a different way Light had come in and out before, but Light could see where they had been across the room.

"I do see signs of a battle on the floor there." the Dragonite confirmed.

"Up there!" Light alerted.

The Dragonite flew up when he saw a gaping whole in the roof that opened up to the night sky. He scraped his right arm's armor when he flew through and began to look around quickly.

"I don't see anyone, or sign of struggle." the Dragonite remarked.

Light jumped off of his shoulder onto the dome and went to the side of the hole. He quickly scraped a claw onto the side of it and inspected it.

" _This was a grass type move. It had to be Charlotte. They must have ran._ "

"I think t-they ran." Light reported. He was slightly startled to see the Dragonite just over his shoulder.

"The likelihood of us finding them now is low, I am afraid." the Dragonite winced.

Lights eyes fluttered angrily.

"Storm and secure the building." the Dragonite said while Light was turned around.

" _What on earth are they expecting me to do now? Where do they want me?_ "

Light slightly paced angrily while the Dragonite was looking around then back at him.

"If we go to the Association, we can test their claims..." he suggested.

"Uh, yah." Light awkwardly agreed.

"Don't fret. We'll sort out the situation quickly." he nodded.

Light hopped on the Dragonite's shoulder again and held on as he flew. He remained flying at the current height of the building. Light could tell he was heading to the Nightlight Tower.

From the air, Light could see the ground was extremely busy. Most pokemon were either running or working with something. It quickly grew less compact as they left the area near the dome. Light could see almost all pokemon either looking up at the Dragonite or pointing at him.

"Uhm, p-popular?" Light asked.

"It depends who you are." he replied, "I try to be."

"So, w-what's going to happen to m-me?" Light asked quietly.

"While I have our potential family relationship tested, I'll be asking you some questions. You're the only one left after this whole endeavor..." the Dragonite sighed.

"I don't understand how the escaped when it's so crowded..." Light reminisced.

"I think it was possible because it was crowded." he input, "We weren't able to identify them either."

Light ran through possibilities while the Dragonite quickly approached the Nightlight Tower. Although they were low, he flew alarmingly fast for it to be his normal pace.

"Hold on tightly. We're going up to the top."

"Uhm, or w-we could n-not!?" Light shivered.

"Even if you fall, I'll catch you. Besides, we've little time to answer questions that would come up about you or your fur."

" _The Blastoise's attack_!" Light realized. He looked down at his paws to see they were a sparky white with flakes of water still in them.

"I didn't r-realize. I w-was wearing d-dye before."

"Do you normally wear dye?" he asked as he began to ascend.

"Uhm, uh, y-yes." Light winced.

"As a disguise?" he pushed.

"I don't like being approached about it. That's all that happens whenever I don't..."

"Our culture is obsessed with how one appears, but you needn't worry yourself with such things." the Dragonite said, "So, little one. You were the 'white star' the pokemon with the speaker referred to, yes?"

Light nodded.

"I see. Well then, we've arrived."

Light looked down only to feel his face subconsciously force itself back up. The Dragonite quickly landed on the roof. The windy air made Light refuse to let go. The Dragonite waited patiently and the roof seemed to open up a circle inside on cue. He jumped and landed inside, and the top began to close again.

The room they were in was too dark for Light to see anything in. The Dragonite clapped his hands and the light surprised Light. He jumped off and landed on his feet a second after.

"This is the headquarters of the Angel Branch." he announced, "They are all away right now, so we can be comfortable."

The Dragonite rubbed over Light's head and held a small clump of fur that came off.

"I will be right back for you." he smiled slightly, You can set your things wherever you'd like."

Light looked down surprised that he had forgotten about his satchel.

" _I doubt anything I had would'eve helped me fight, but why did I forget about it so quickly? Must be scatterbrained..._ "

Light watched the Dragontie leave through a doorway quickly leaving him alone. He nervously stayed in place and looked around the room. It looked like a lounge with cushions and screens everywhere up high. They were control panels scattered around the corners of the room and hallways leading to other places.

" _I wonder what the Angel Branch is even doing right now. Especially at this hour..._ "

Light was surprised to see the Dragonite return just a moment after. He returned inside with a sigh.

"So, tell me about your history." he offered.

"Uhm, I was j-just sort of their captive. For a very l-long time. I don't r-remember when i-it happened."

"I see." he groaned, "Well, I suppose I'll tell you my half."

Light followed the Dragonite as he sat formally on a cushion. His body language told Light that he normally sat with his legs crossed.

"I lost my son about fourteen years ago." he recalled with a frown, "This very Nightlight Tower was attacked from insurgents on the inside. I still do not know the reason..." he stroked his chin.

"What were the results of it?" Light asked.

"My wife and son both perished by flames set off in the armory. "Your name was the same as his, Angelo." he nodded, "The only other result was a missing artifact from the vault. It was a relic I had found on my way here from Maroon. If they were after anything, that was it." he sighed, "However, we never found my son afterwards. He was still just a baby, so I wouldn't know how he would've escaped except the new revelation it could've been you..."

"They, well, t-told me that w-was it..." Light looked away.

"Either way, you may rest your nerves." he smiled softly, "The Association, including me, will be assisting you. We've found pokemon with slightly similar situations before."

A small buzzing noise sounded and the Dragonite brought out a small metal bead from a hole in his gauntlet. He held it quickly up to his ear.

"Yes?"

After just a second or two, the Dragonite started blinking rapidly before looking at Light surprised. He cleared his throat and shook his head.

"Sorry, I didn't think it true." he said gulping.

Light sat there with not much to say. He never had spent time imagining what a parent would be like.

"I'm afraid I can't be away from the public eye for long after this situation. I'll show you to a room."

Light followed the Dragonite down one of the large hallways. There were two closed doors along the way and a third open one at the end. The Dragonite led him inside of the plain room. It had a screen on the top wall on entering with a remote on a desk near a small bed. The desk also had a very small screen with a small panel.

"You know how to use everything in here, yes?" he questioned.

"Yah." Light nodded looking at him.

"Alright. I should be back within an hour. Stay in here."

Light silently watched him leave closing the door and heard him take off from his room. He quietly went to the bed and lied down on his back before grabbing his head.

" _What even... Me having a dad? So far, he's been creepy calm with the exception of learning about me. And why did I happen to know it was him right away?_ " Light put his paws behind his head. " _He's smaller than usual Dragonites by a lot, and I'm smaller than most Eevees. What's going to happen to me? Other pokemon know thanks to that loud speaker, but..._ "

Light stretched out his back slowly on the bed.

" _Oh, fudge this feels good. Wait, so most pokemon sleep in these? What else do they have here?_ "

As Light rubbed his back on the bed, he started to feel extremely sleepy. Light occasionally looked at the screen on the desk to see it felt like time was moving exceptionally quickly.

" _Ugh, an hour's too long to wait. He'll just wake me up..._ "


	9. Chapter 9

Light's eyes shook completely unaware for a long moment before he opened them.

" _Why's it so warm?_ "

Light drearily looked around until he found he was under the Dragonite's arm. His head shot up in surprise noticing the Dragonite having one arm over him with his back on the bed and his feet hanging off. He shot up quickly blinking his eyes.

"Uf, excuse me. I only got in recently." the Dragonite rubbed his eyes and looked at him, "I wanted to be here to calm you when you woke up." he smiled.

The Dragonite stood up wearily and bent his head over to look at him directly.

"I never got a close look at you."

The Dragonite pointed out a finger to move fur out of Light's face, but Light shrunk back.

"Ah, you probably have different color eyes just like her."

"W-who was she?" Light asked quickly.

"She was a scientist named Rosanne." he answered, "An Espeon. She was our lead mission marker." he recalled, "She and her team would decide the difficulty of missions and rank them. They also handled receiving mission requests, writing them, and confirming success. Just a year ago, we had a very talented pokemon named Kite take over the job."

"And you l-lead the Angels? Light continued.

The Dragonite proudly nodded. Light showed no reaction.

"I can tell you're still very surprised," he frowned, "I still am to a degree."

"S-surprised about what?" Light inquired, "There is n-not much to b-be surprised about."

"It is undeniably surprising," he stared, "Not reacting to it at this moment seems as only an emotional delay."

"W-what are you t-talking about?" Light asked.

"You don't recognize me?" the Dragonite bellowed.

"I do not pay the Association m-much a-attention." Light frowned.

"Well, I'll suppose I'll find other ways to impress you." he smiled, "Paperwork is already being taken care of. I'd like you to come with me."

"Where are we g-going?" Light asked.

"Just a few evaluations, don't worry." he chuckled.

Light followed him with sleepy eyes trudging behind him. The Dragonite walked slowly.

"Feeling well?" he asked.

"Uhm, yes." Light replied awkwardly.

The Dragonite suddenly stood to the side on reaching the open space after the hallway. A Meganium looked up and smiled at him.

"Ah, yes. Come on in!" she welcomed.

" _A therapist?_ " Light looked back at the Dragonite.

"Don't be shy." the Meganium patted a cushion with a vine.

" _That's not helping._ " Light sighed.

Light slowly approached the cushion and sat on edge. The Meganium took a seat where it was standing.

"So, for some paperwork we're going to need some details about where you're from, buddy." she said, "So, just take your time, and tell us about it."

"I don't want to s-say anything." Light denied.

"Well, footprints only tell us so much." she frowned unhappily.

"I couldn't say anything h-helpful." Light said, "And I'd r-rather not embarrass m-myself."

"Nothing you say could possibly be embarrassing." the Dragonite nodded.

"It would b-be, and I d-don't want to say anything." Light insisted defiantly.

"Well, the ongoing investigation isn't why we're questioning you, Angelo." she replied with concern, "Are you alright? What have you been through?"

"Nothing I h-haven't handled." Light grunted.

Light started to feel a mild aroma waft through the air. It stung his nose and caused him to twitch for a short moment before he got used to it.

"How did you handle it?" she asked calmly.

"By myself." Light answered.

"How? What did you use for stress? To have patience?" she smiled.

"Well," Light started to feel less on edge, "I s-sometimes found paper t-to write my thoughts on. That i-is all."

"What happened to them?" she questioned.

"I h-had to burn them e-every time." he answered.

"Who did you write to?" she continued.

"No one." Light groggily answered. He began to feel oddly dizzy losing some sort of balance, "Or a lot of different random things."

"Like who?" the Meganium pressured lightly.

"I don't remember." Light answered.

Wearily, Light looked toward Lancelot to see him frowning to himself deeply.

"Tah tah, eyes on me." the Meganium ordered and Light turned back to her. "Where did you live?"

"It changed sometimes, but it was always a cave." Light remembered, "I saw sunlight every few weeks most times when I was younger. I was used to torchlight more until I went outside more."

"Were you not allowed to go outside often?" she asked quietly.

"No." Light said.

"What was your very first memory?" the Meganium asked seriously.

Light looked around thinking backwards until he remembered.

"I was beside a fire in a stone bed. I was alone in the room and watched the fire go out."

"How did you feel?" she asked.

"I don't remember. I remember yelling after, but nobody came." Light's eyes swung around his head.

"Did you make any friends?" she asked.

"Some told me they were my friends, but I decided they weren't because friends do not hurt each other." Light answered.

"How did you spend your time?" the Meganium brought a vine to Light's face to bring his eyes to her's.

"I looked through books all day. I would beg for them on the streets when I was allowed outside."

"Where did you get morals from?" she asked, "What do you think is right and wrong?"

"Some pokemon on the streets told me we have the sense of right and wrong naturally. I read more about it too. I think anything done with love is right, and anything without is either neutral or wrong."

"What were you told about your parents?" her eyes focused into his.

"They said I didn't have any, but I believed I did after reading how pokemon are made in a book." Light recalled.

"Alright, I just have one more question." she nodded looking into his eyes, "Are you in pain? What do you want?"

"I want to die."

Light's face and chest felt burning after the statement as he shook his head rapidly. He looked to see that the Dragonite had slumped against the wall.

"W-wait, I d-didn't say that."

"My aroma took hold. You were being honest." she frowned "As honest as can be."

"S-shut up..." Light hissed, "Why are y-you even doing this!?"

"It is my job here." she replied.

"To just m-make me say t-things that aren't true!?" Light yelled.

"We are here to help you, Angelo." she winced.

"Truly," the Dragonite interrupted, "My worst fears are realized now. I've failed beyond measure that night to this day."

"I-it wasn't e-even your fault!" Light yelled.

"I know." the Dragonite's voice cracked, "It does not help."

"We are going to be placing you under our careful watch for a while, Angelo. I'm sorry." the Meganium bowed.

"You're w-wrong! I w-wasn't even thinking when I s-said that!" Light exclaimed.

"That's the idea." she replied, "When you're not thinking your heart comes out of your mouth. I'm not physically concerned for you since you are sane, but your depression must be watched at all times. We will help you."

"And I will not fail here." the Dragonite added standing up.

"Us pokemon are social creatures. You simply lack attention, but we will be fixing this issue."

Light grabbed his head and rubbed it. He felt dizzy and angry.

"You've had quite a day enough." the Dragonite said, "Go back to the room and sleep. I will find you a permanent room in the meantime."

Embarrassed and furious, Light stood up and stalked back down the hallway. He closed the door behind him and laid down with a heave and a few tears.


	10. Chapter 10

Light slowly woke up on his own and stretched himself out. He caused himself to yawn before looking around. Looking left, he checked the time from the screen on the desk next to his bag to see it was around noon.

" _I suppose I should find that Dragonite... If I didn't want to look around._ "

Light smirked to himself opening the door quietly before proceeding.

" _They probably would have the elevator under watch, but this floor should be fine..._ "

Light snuck on his toes to the closest door in the hallway and opened it halfway. He poked his head through to see the room was decorated green with forest like walls. Light felt a familiar aroma hit his nose and closed the door quickly.

" _Bleugh..._ _Cursed Meganium._ "

Light immediately turned around and opened the door parallel to it. He poked his head in halfway to see the room filled with incredibly diverse drawings. The wall looked like a starry sky along with the floor.

" _Huh.._ "

Light closed the door and continued down the hallway to the next door. He did the same thing opening the door.

The room was covered in ornate hearts and the walls were lined with weapons. Light closed the door and slightly creeped out.

Light moved to the parallel door and opened it to see it had a bottom filled with water. It rippled slightly and showed signs of being heated.

" _That looks so comfy... I hope they have hot springs_."

Light continued close to the edge of the open space and opened the last door he saw. He was confused by his vision for a short moment before realizing the Dragonite was looming over him with crossed arms looking him in the eye.

"Snooping?" he raised an eyebrow.

"No," Light denied, "I'm, uh, i-investigating my surroundings, a b-bit."

"I suppose you picked up that habit elsewhere?"

Light nodded nervously.

"Well, you'll be having someone accompany you from now on for a while." he smiled, "He'll assist you in becoming familiar with your own generation."

"Is it b-bad?" Light asked.

"It's wilder one." he nodded, "So, how will you introduce yourself?"

"Eh?" Light froze.

"Well, it appears you have gone as Light for a long while. I'm sure you know by now that your birth name was Angelo, but I will respect if you continue with that name."

"I w-want to u-use Angelo." he responded immediately.

"Oh?" the Dragonite blinked, "I figured it would be a slow decision."

"It's a blessing j-just to k-know it's mine." Angelo smirked shyly.

"Well, heh." Lancelot smiled, "Let's go then. We have a social floor he's usually on at this hour."

"Social f-floor?" Angelo asked.

"You'd be surprised by how useful it is." the Dragonite shrugged, "Although you won't often find me there."

Angelo bounded after him as he started towards the elevator.

"But won't anyone recognize me if I go there?" Angelo stepped in front of him.

"The Nightlight Association knows how to keep secrets." he smirked, "That darkness that fell over the glass was an instructed Night Shade move from a high ranking Gengar. I am the only one who knows about you, though rumours are everywhere."

"Oh..."

The Dragonite stuttered a moment over different sounds.

"Wait, you want it to be public?" the Dragonite interpreted his voice, "I thought for sure my son would want to be more discrete."

"I d-don't just want to b-be underground anymroe."

"It's a choice you can't take back." Lancelot warned, "And the advantages are many. Besides, I do not plan on leaving you anytime soon or keeping you locked away."

"Advantages?" Angelo questioned curiously as the Dragonite moved past him.

"Well, for starters, finding out what's behind the masks that are used with well-known members of society." he started, "You can also grab an apple without being bothered... I haven't done that in years." he sighed.

"I suppose... " he was swayed.

"You'll have plenty of chances to deal with others later." the Dragonite promised, "He'll be waiting for us by the entrance. You won't need to bring your things anywhere for now. I had this made for you to keep everywhere, however.

Lancelot put a sort of necklace around Angelo's neck. Angelo inspected it to find it was a completely white chain with a hollow star at the end of the necklace.

"It has the basic functions of a Nightlight agents crest as well. It was made in the standard manner except for the symbol, and layered in true white gold. You can hide it in the fur of your neck."

Angelo's eyes sparked until he pulled it closer to his chest and it stayed in his scruff well. He nodded and followed the Dragonite into the elevator and watched him hit an odd pattern of buttons that made no sense to him.

"So, w-what exactly are w-we doing today?"Angelo asked. He felt the elevator start to move mid-sentence.

"The boy will accompany you throughout the Association. He'll simply be showing you around for today. He has enough for you to have any food or item you see, as well."

Angelo nodded.

A short moment passed before the elevator came to a smooth stop.

"He'll be a Zorua with the shiny gene. I'll be handling meetings and superficial things while you are with him. And don't be nervous, he's quite socially adept."

"Ok." Angelo let out a deep breath.

Angelo watched the doors opened and took in one sight at a time. The place looked like a supernatural park with blue vein-like lights on the floors and walls. The ceiling was as high as three Onix stretched out to max length. There were many varying floors giving it a mall-like feel with glass being used everywhere.

"You alright?" the Dragonite asked chuckling.

"Uhm, n-no?" Angelo turned to him.

"Relax." he patted his shoulder and pointed out, "See, he's right over there."

Angelo noticed a Zorua waving energetically. He wore an almost prideful looking smirk.

"He's a prominent member of the Angels. I am at ease with having you with him." the Dragonite smiled.

Angelo nodded awkwardly before walking slowly toward the Zorua. It was far from crowded, and he was able to keep the Zorua within eyesight as he worked towards him.

"Hey," the Zorua greeted coming close to him, "Anything you need right away?"

"Uhm, a s-store with cloaks and t-the like please..."

"Ok, I gotcha." the Zorua smiled, "Follow me."

Angelo stuck close behind him on his right side as they moved. He nervously kept temporary checks of all the pokemon around them.

"Any type or color of cloak you want?" he asked casually.

"A large w-white one w-with a small hood." Angelo answered quickly.

"Huh. Did you lose one somehow?" he asked turning back. Angelo nodded in reply. "Should be easy then."

Angelo followed him through the mostly empty paths. He could tell from the Zorua's walking he was just slightly uncomfortable. He stayed at the very center of the paths and glanced behind him often. Flowers and bushes lined the path along with tiny streams.

"Right here." he gestured, "It's a place specialized for small clothes for smaller pokemon. It also has plenty of clothes to amp up pokemon. So, uh... Lancelot tells me you have a ton of bio-energy?"

"H-how many p-pokemon know w-what exactly?" Angelo asked.

"Lancelot only told me about you personally." he shrugged, "Of course he's been filing reports for a better part of the night. I didn't know he was married, even... So you can relax about being normal here." he smiled cheekily.

"And I suppose your status is also hidden with that necklace you have there?" Angelo pointed out a brown colored basic necklace of the Nightlight's odd symbol he was wearing.

"Just the usual cool spy stuff you'd expect." he smirked, "I won't tell if you won't. So, what are you interested in?"

"Well..." Angelo sighed.

"Weeeeeeeeeell?" the Zorua smirked.

"Battling. A-although, I don't see many p-positive uses for having c-combat skills."

"Combat skills is what we're all about. If anybody has them, it's us." he bragged, "Let's get your cloak and then I'll show you some things."

Blue brought him to a small shack-like store run by an Emolga. He sat outside and daydreamed as the Zorua talked to him and made exchanges. He snapped from his daydream seeing Blue carrying the folded up cloth on his back. He immediately thanked him and snagged it. He unfolded and felt it out quickly before strapping it over himself.

"Phew, must be used to having that..." the Zorua sweat dropped.

"Just a l-little spoiled." Angelo blushed.

"Anyways, I'm here to show you what the N.A.'s all about. It won't be a history lesson you have to take notes on." he smirked, "Besides, it's more of a tour. Show and tell except I'm lazy."

"W-well, I know a l-lot about its operations and t-the like." Angelo whispered.

"Yeah, but you don't know where all the girls hangout or where to grab food." he snickered, "Although I remember priorities like the first thing I mentioned."

Angelo rolled his eyes.

"Well, I'll show you your priorities." he shrugged smiling, "We've got lots of things on this floor typical of a town. It's like a small village for Nightlight workers of all kinds. I get the bookworm vibe from you." he mentioned.

Angelo nodded.

"Well, the building for books is the only brick thing in here. Nowadays, they just sell electronics used to read stuff, but the city has an actual library. Artsy stuff is in the same area." he explained, "The battling place is a fun one though. C'mon."

Angelo nodded again and followed close next to the Zorua. Blue clearly waved to people he knew while Angelo only looked the other way half-pretending not to know him.

"Our training area gets rowdy." he emphasized, "Really rowdy. So if you come, come with something to swing."

Blue led him to some concrete stairs with cracks throughout them as they moved upwards.

"The training place in here is busy around the evening, so just be careful to keep close to me." he advised.

The stairs ended quickly to reveal a large empty space with a plain brown carpeted floor. Light felt to see it was moderately cushioned.

"Wow," Blue remarked, "Completely empty. Usually there's a ton of pokemon here, though it tends to be a dude festival."

"Sounds l-like your sort of place then..." Angelo retorted.

"Don't worry, beauty parlor's our next stop." the Zorua giggled.

Angelo thinned his eyes and watched the Zorua walked past him into the empty field.

"So, heard you had a hard-knock life?" he asked.

"Yes, but I'd r-rather talk about w-what yours is l-like." Angelo replied.

"Well, it's a lot of tradition yada yada all across the board for me." he shrugged, "Pretty sure I have an expected number of breaths right now at this point. I'm not supposed to tell you anything about much of it, but there is some I think I could tell you."

"Ok." Angelo nodded sitting down.

"Goes like this." Blue also sat, "The N.A. was founded two-hundred years ago by a pokemon called Melody Hannah Grace. It was originally a last ditch effort to drive off invaders. She disappeared, and a Gifarig named Martha Amberstone took over the mantle after she left. It thrived for a whole century before inside coups weakened and nearly destroyed the whole place."

"This isn't i-in any b-books." Angelo remarked.

"Heh heh. For higher ups only." the Zorua giggled, "After that event, the N.A. teeter tottered on the brink for a while until an oddly strong Dragonair appeared some years ago and gave the N.A. an iron fist to work with." he winked, "It's been getting stronger ever since, but we still lack enough manpower to deal with too big a portion of lowlifes."

"How big?" Angelo asked.

"Well, big enough to invade and take you away apparently." he frowned, "After that defeat, they've gotten more confident, and we've been struggling due to criminals being so forward. They're just not afraid of us..." he sighed, "And the Valorian royal government can only do so much too. We simply need more power."

Blue paused reminiscently until he looked back at Angelo and smiled.

"See that up there?" the Zorua tilted his head high and to the right.

Angelo followed his eyes' path to see a small steep staircase leading upwards before stopping slowly. On top he could make out a small dark blue object.

"That was Grace's weapon. Pokemon come from all over and apply to come inside to try and pull it out. It rejects pokemon with a harsh light and energy when most try. The most anyone's been recorded to pull is about one and a half centimeters, and it sinks back inside whenever they let go." he smiled, "It's some sort of magic that no technology has been able to overcome, or come close to. But..."

Angelo looked back at Blue's sparkling eyes.

"Whenever I see it, it just gets my blood rushing. If anyone started using that, problems wouldn't be gone forever, but things would be better. We could find more pokemon like you, and we'd have solid ground under our feet again!" he giggled.

"Why can't t-they pick i-it up?" Angelo wondered aloud.

"No one can find any correlation." Blue rolled his eyes sadly, "We've had great and accomplished pokemon come here from everywhere and get nothing, and then have restaurant owners and merchants do better."

"I have a f-feeling it's m-much simpler." Angelo made eye contact with him.

"Well, how about you give it a go if you're brave?" the Zorua asked excitedly, "You just have to be careful. The more you pull it, the light from it gives some pokemon pain. A few even pass out from it, even though it's never been brighter than really dim."

"I'll b-be sure to pull b-back if it hurts." Angelo assured.

Blue sat up with his tail wagging and started jogging to the steps with Angelo following at half his pace. Angelo picked up his pace when he saw the Zorua waiting by the stairs tapping the floor with his foot.

"Why s-so excited?" Angelo giggled accidentally.

"Hey, you're the prodigal kid, or whatever it is. I watch everyone who tries to pull it out!" he shrugged smiling.

"And g-get excited every time?" Angelo asked.

"Well, yeah! It's like a birthday party!" he started up the stairs.

"Wait, you n-never told me who s-set the record!" Angelo shouted slightly following Blue.

"Me!"

Angelo scrambled on his feet after the surprise took out his coordination for a second.

"Hurry it up!" Blue shouted looking back down at him.

Angelo just sighed and kept climbing more slowly. Blue was at the top distracted by the weapon with gleaming eyes. He was racing around it and eyeing it.

"Are you certain t-that my f-father won't be m-mad?" Angelo asked shyly.

"Prolly at me. Give it a whirl." he replied quickly.

Angelo took a look and stalked around the object one time. It had an odd shaped that almost hinted at it being naturally made. It appeared to have a slightly rough texture although the handle looked perfectly smooth.

"Well?" Blue pried with a smile.

Angelo gave him an awkward smirk and slowly grabbed the handle. He half expected to explode on the spot and winced.

"Give it a good tug!" the Zorua urged.

"Uhm, are y-you sure? I t-think I'm d-done for today." Angelo sweat dropped.

Blue glared.

"O-k." Angelo turned back to it. He gave it a small tug to feel it give way instantly like it was in butter.

" _Holy..._ "

Angelo looked to see Blue still glaring at him. He thought quickly.

"Not a millimeter, s-sorry."

"Dah, fine." Blue shook his head, "Let me show you to the stores and stuff."

Shakily, Angelo waited until the Zorua looked back ahead before letting go. He followed the Zorua slowly looking forward and backwards over and over again. His thoughts fell silent.


	11. Chapter 11

"Ok, I'm just gonna show you the general store and then we're getting food. I'm starved, and you look like you've been starving for a while." the Zorua remarked as Angelo stepped off the final stair.

"What's that s-supposed to mean?" Angelo gawked.

"Just, well, one too many bones showing for an Eevee man. They did not feed you to whatever standard it should be." he sweat dropped, "I'll just stuff ya like a doll a few times and it should be fine."

"Uhm..." Angelo's eyes popped.

"Don't worry, we'll make sure it's muscle." he smirked.

"Interesting analogies..." Angelo replied after a moment of staring.

"Hey, don't look at me like that. Just lookin out for ya."

Angelo continued to follow the Zorua as he led with a chipper attitude. He constantly made waves and talked to different pokemon for a short moment on the street. Angelo would simply slow down to a crawl whenever he did and resume when they finished.

"It's part of my job to be street smart around here." the Zorua mentioned and shrugged as they continued, "Are you pretty good with others?" he asked turning around and walking backwards.

"Just k-knowing what t-they want." Angelo answered avoiding eye contact.

"Well, that's well and good, but it's safe to make friends with people I'm friends with." he suggested.

"I think I'll p-pass." Angelo sighed his reply.

"We'll see." he smirked and turned back around, "So, what're you hungry for?"

"Anything healthy..." Angelo replied.

"Ah, fine." Blue sighed, "The food's good, it's just that the place is boring. Like, don't get me wrong, I like girls..."

Angelo's eye twitched.

"But in there being a dude is like even worse than being a shiny. Speaking of which..."

" _Oh bother._ "

"You're pelt seriously is amazing dude. Why are you hiding that!?" he exclaimed.

"Uhm, amazing?" Angelo questioned.

"Dude, it looks perfect. Literally just stands out so much." he smiled.

"I don't l-like to stand out." Angelo winced.

"Ah, don't be so dramatic about it... Looks like we're here!" he announced.

Angelo was slightly startled by the restaurant appearing like a common home. It was overrun with green on all sides with slender vines leading inside and out.

" _What the..._ " Angelo felt the ground.

"Something wrong?" Blue noticed.

"Something's wrong." Angelo quickly confirmed.

The Zorua and Eevee perked their ears hearing a large popping sound in the distance.

"Let's check it out." Blue nodded, "Stay behind me."

Angelo sprinted behind the Zorua. Besides occasionally checking corners, the Zorua ran forward with hesitation. Angelo followed him from a short distance. The closer they get to the sound, the more fighting they could hear.

"It sounds huge. Keep a little closer!" Blue warned. Angelo nodded while running alongside his back right.

Both Blue and Angelo turned a corner to see a smaller group of pokemon surrounded by Nightlights.

"I gotta help them. Stay back." he ordered charging.

" _Where are they from? I don't like that I can't tell..._ "

Angelo watched with worry as the Nightlights continued to back off at extreme force. They continued to poke at the group's defenses afterward with no effect.

" _That formation looks like the it belongs to the Interstellars, that group we 'merged' with. Why on Earth are they attacking here after that... They can't seriously be that set on me, so what's going on?_ "

 _"_ Fan out! _"_ a Jolteon called, "One minute tops, find him and let's bounce!"

 _"I hate you._ " Angelo spited, " _I wish I could just one on one all of them, but it's not that simple. They'll all bark if they see me for the others to come with their communicators._ "

Angelo noticed that Blue had charged only to be completely pressured out by them. Every dark type attack the Zorua used was outmatched by three others before he even fired it. Angelo started to hear the alarm sound as more Nightlights rushed on the group from behind.

" _If they're in lock down, then I can't hide in a building._ "

Angelo crept over to a nearby hill with assorted white flowers while watching Blue battle. He noticed a stun seed in the grass and picked it up.

" _Somebody must've dropped this._ "

Unsure what to do, Angelo put it into the fur on his neck.

" _I could tell he's still just in training to be an Angel, but he's doing well holding up them looking for me. Where are the others?_ "

Angelo felt a sudden hot claw on his forehead lift him up. He tried struggling dangling in the air, but felt electricity disturbing his muscles.

"W-what a-are y-you d-doing?" Angelo managed to say.

Angelo was turned around in mid air and left dangling in a Jolteon's face.

"Oh, flower picking." he smirked, "See, when pokemon get tense, they release a small portion of bio-energy when they're amping up their senses. Found you immediately since your 'small portion' is so high."

"Want to s-see a l-little more?" Angelo thinned his eyes.

"Try it, brat." he frowned, "I'm supposed to do you in anyways."

Angelo gave a wicked smirk as he let loose random energy around himself. The Jolteon quickly dropped him to the ground. Although it was a short range, Angelo instantly seared the grass and flowers within a few feet to dull brown color. The Jolteon backed away five paces and stared at him angrily. Angelo stood up as quickly as he fell and removed the cloak he had on. He let it fall to the ground casually.

"Look a little sadistic there for an inspiration." the Jolteon retorted.

"Well, I d-did live with bandits." Angelo replied, "And I'm e-excited for you to stop bothering m-me."

"I-I'm e-excited too." the Jolteon smirked.

Angelo and the Jolteon started pacing around each other.

"I wonder i-if I could h-hit your head hard e-enough for the same thing t-to happen to you."

"Try it. I'm waiting." he taunted.

"I'm w-waiting too." Angelo smiled.

"Sorry, dad's in a meeting." the Jolteon rolled his eyes.

"Well, w-where I came f-from, we w-waited for golden opportunities."

The Jolteon stared at Angelo with piqued interest and checked around himself. He focused back on Angelo when he prepared a trump card attack and held it in his hand. The two still continued to circle each other.

" _He's kind of bad at this..._ "

Angelo waited until the Jolteon was near his dropped cloak and threw the card. The explosion on the ground near him sent up small powder into the Jolteon's face. He coughed slightly before pausing.

"I g-guess I get t-to test it now." Angelo warned drawing closer.

"Wait," he replied in an ordering manner, "I'll tell you something if you don't."

"Mhmm?" Angelo rolled his eyes and stopped walking in front of him.

"There's another pokemon out there we're going to attempt to use as a fallback." he spoke.

Despite attacks happening in rather close quarters, Angelo remained only alarmed by what he said.

"If that pokemon doesn't have odd strength like mine, he or she will die in that twisted generator idea." Angelo warned with gritted teeth, "Where are they?"

"Verde city, a dancer there has rumors around her." he replied quickly.

"Rumors is a far stretch from reality." Angelo growled.

"The boss was desperate." the Jolteon blinked.

"Do tell me more." Angelo frowned.

"Wanting to release that pokemon and take it for ourselves is all we do." the Jolteon admitted, "Now just, don't hit me."

"Can't speak for them."

Angelo backed away as a Shadow Ball slammed into the Jolteon's side and sent him rolling on the hill. A Skiploom and Breloom ran after him the Zorua came back up to Angelo.

"Are you alright?" he asked urgently checking him. Angelo jerked back when he touched his arm with a growl.

"Uh." Blue slunk back.

"I'm fine. Sorry." Angelo winced, "I just don't like, uhm..."

"Yeah?" Blue pushed.

"That J-Jolteon tried to b-bribe me." Angelo said, "He t-told me that t-they're going to take s-someone else."

"Who?" Blue asked leaning in. Angelo looked around warily seeing other pokemon arrive and listen in.

"A female dancer in Verde." Angelo replied quietly, "All he said was s-something about rumors."

"I'll send word." a Skiploom volunteered and flew off. Other pokemon also nodded to each other before scattering in separate directions.

"Alright, I'm getting you to a safe place for a bit." the Zorua insisted, "Two floors were attacked, and one of them was pretty high up. We're keeping you at the HQ for us right now. Understood?"

Angelo nodded and followed Blue hurriedly back to the elevator. Although pokemon were still racing around, Angelo could tell the battle was already over. Pokemon had raced and formed almost a small hill over where the group first stood.

As Blue led Angelo into the elevator, he took out a small badge and scanned it on a pad on the elevator's controls. Angelo was surprised to feel them going down when the door closed.

"Uhm..." Angelo looked at Blue unsteadily.

"I've got to head out to Verde City, straight away." Blue replied seriously, "I'm still in training, but Angels are required to immediately act immediately on intense dangers like this. I'll send you back up."

"I'd r-rather go w-with you..." Angel hinted.

Blue gave a sigh before answering.

"I wouldn't mind, but I don't think Lancelot would be fine with it at all. As far as he's concerned, you're about as tough as a flower..." Blue rolled his eyes.

"I'm one of the few who would recognize possible assailants." Angelo argued, "And I'm familiar with their style."

"Yeah, I know..." Blue shook his head, "I mean, I get it."

The elevator arrived as Blue started to look back and forth between Angelo and the door. Angelo raised an eyebrow waiting for him to choose.

"Well..." he smirked, "You're probably safer with me. And I can say I never let you out of my sight. I'll lead the way."

Blue jogged out of the building with Angelo following close behind him. Angelo made sure to keep slight contact with the Zorua due to the increasing crowding. They broke loose of the crowd when they neared the door and Angelo followed Blue as he rushed out.

"Alright, it's going to be a ways there if we do it by foot." Blue explained, "We're going to find a transport pokemon to help us. I'm calling a buddy to set us up real quick."

Blue and Angelo both took seats close enough to touch the corner of the Nightlights' tower. Angelo was surprised by how large the base supporting the tower was.

" _Most tall buildings don't have other pillars supporting them. It must be for if it's attacked..._ "

"Alright, I messaged him and he's going to be on his way." Blue turned to Angelo, "He's a wicked fast and big Rapidash. He could out speed electric carriages, even." he boasted.

"How l-long will it t-take to get to Verde?" Angelo asked, "From what I know, i-it's a long trek there."

"Yeah..." Blue sighed, "But, well, if it's in Valor, which it is, then he can reach it in just three or four hours. Verde should only be two and a half. Will you be fine without your cloak?" he asked looking around himself.

"I'll m-manage."

Angelo shuffled nervously while waiting for Blue's friend trying to avoid eye contact. He was able to watch the Rapidash expertly maneuver the crowds due to his height and make his way straight to Blue.

"Alright, let's make some trails." Blue nodded.


	12. Chapter 12

Angelo nodded off in his thoughts for the period of time it took them to travel. He looked around sleepily when he started to feel it get busier with other pokemon.

"Man, you must be beat." the Zorua commented, "Stay up late, or is it something else?"

"I d-don't sleep well often." Angelo rubbed his eyes, "Sorry."

"No, no. Just wondering. Anyways, we got updates from the Association on the situation." Blue sighed, "A Mienfoo who matches the description has been missing for a few hours. It seems to have happened at a parallel time to the attack."

"It's impossible to track from what we can tell," the Rapidash the pair was riding chimed in, "Of course, locals and Nightlights are really putting it out there they mean business."

"That's n-not going to work."

Blue looked at Angelo surprised.

"Hand m-me a map of the city."

"O-k..."

Blue worked his device as Angelo rubbed his eyes with his paw. Blue held up a small tablet like object with a large scale map on it, Angelo scanned ith with his eyes quickly.

" _From how things went, they like working in big groups a lot. But that alone doesn't tell me if they're large or small this time around. I need context clues._ "

"Do they h-have any footage yet?" Angelo asked. Blue shook his head in reply.

"Take m-me to h-her last known location."

"Markus Street, Lukas." Blue said.

The Rapidash nodded in reply and started to move more quickly. Angelo just started to take in the scenery around him. Enormous trees stretched into the sky and across the ground limiting the range of visibility. The streets were lined with completely clean white brick, but the sides were completely overtaken with various flowers. From what he could tell, a heavy wind could whip up storms of petals. The whole area seemed to be covered with shade.

"It's just hard. Nightlights are already checking the place and scraping up litte." Blue replied sadly.

"I o-only need to be c-certain of one factor."

"Beeeiiiiiing?" Blue asked.

"Their n-number."

"I only date nice girls." Blue replied automatically.

"Ugh..." the Rapidash snorted.

"Wait, hang on before we go anywhere." Blue said, "I have something."

The Rapidash trotted to a stop next to a smaller patch of flowers.

"Hello, sir?" Blue asked his small device.

"I'm here."

Angelo blinked in surprise at Lancelot's voice.

" _I wonder what that tool is..._ "

"Any leads for us on number?" Blue asked politely.

"My gut says about four or five." Lancelot replied, "We checked footage of groups in the surrounding area in a very short timeframe. They all happened to be large."

"How many g-groups?" Angelo asked audibly.

"There were about four groups of four to five in a five minute timespan. The street isn't known to be that busy, either... Also, hi."

"Uhm, hi..." Angelo sweat dropped. A three second silence followed before the Zorua cleared his throat pressing together his lips. Angelo shifted awkwardly.

"See you later."

The device quickly turned off with a quick beeping sound.

"Uhm, is there..." Blue nervously began.

"I s-still, just..." Angelo rolled his eyes.

"We'll be back soon." Blue smiled, "You'll get used to it. You look like you want to see the map again?"

Angelo nodded as Blue turned the device on and held it in front of him.

" _There's no possible way those groups weren't part of the same team, but the Association won't realize the scale until they see it. They're always suckers for numbers. So that could be twenty to twenty five pokemon. They won't be anywhere marked on the map of Verde. Twenty to twenty five sounds like the Spikes...But they usually work in the woods outside of Valor. But just how far away is that from here..._ "

"H-how far is the N-neon Plains from here?" Angelo asked Blue.

"About eight or so miles." the Zorua answered.

" _It's not impossible. It's them. No other group that associated with the Interstellars is here. They also associated with Street Breed a lot, meaning that I was likely held captive where they took the girl..._ "

Angelo started to study the giant trees around himself carefully. They looked unfamiliar at the base, but resonated with him towards the top.

" _I was young when this happened. What kind of view did I have though..._ "

Angelo stared at the tops of the trees as the Zorua idly talked to the Rapidash.

"So, where have you been Friday nights? I've been meaning to ask." Blue began.

"Out with Roy. We were hoping to invite you and your friends to see the new stadium opening." the Rapidash smiled, "You can come too, Angelo."

Angelo's ears perked up.

"Blue, is there a cliffside around here?" Angelo asked suddenly.

"Uhm, I don't know of a cliffside, but I could look up about some really close mountains." he offered.

"Check t-to make sure it h-has a view of the trees."

"Gotcha." Blue replied, "I get four different results for mountains." he frowned.

"Any that have views over the top of the trees?"

"Just the mountain." Blue said, "It's the only thing tall enough to have that view."

"Let's g-go there. I have a hunch." Angelo said.

"No can do." Blue frowned, "The mountain's too big of a hike to go off a hunch. We would be the only ones up there, and we couldn't even act if they were up there due to the danger level."

"I know it's up there." Angelo growled.

"Rules are rules." the Rapidash commented, "Besides, the area is too far away."

"If we sit here not trying anything, including hunches, someone is not going to see their daughter again."

"We can find her without breaking rules." Blue insisted, "No one in our ranks can act within that scope without someone telling us to do so."

Angelo waited for ten seconds of silence to pass.

"W-what time is it?" Angelo asked slowly.

"About four or so." Blue replied casually.

" _They move at night. I've got to make it there before sunset, when they start moving around and prepare to leave. I have to get her out by about six, and it's an hour to get to the top of the mountain from here._ "

"Hey, Lukas." Blue started to move, "You can go on ahead. Me and Angelo will be fine here."

The Rapidash nodded as Blue jumped off of his back followed closely by Angelo.

"And where are you two heading?" he asked.

"I need to grab Angelo a bite to eat before he starts keeling over." Blue smirked. Angelo rolled his eyes.

"Heh, stay safe. I'm taking up a position to the south of us since we're low there."

Blue and Angelo stood still as they watched the Rapidash trot out of view.

"I've never been mountain hiking before. This should be good." Blue smirked.

" _Are you..._ " Angelo looked at him surprised.

"Hey, why are you looking at me like that?" Blue shrugged, "I'm literally the most thuggish member of the Angel branch. I still have no idea why Lancelot thought you'd be safe with me..."

"Aren't the other ones out somewhere else?" Angelo questioned.

"Oh yeah..." Blue remembered, "Wow, sucks to be Lancelot... So, what's the rundown?"

"They always move at night, so we have to get her before sunset. There's a series of caves that can only be entered through the cliff-side on that mountain."

"So, how will we get in?" Blue frowned.

"I c-could climb down, but I would b-be unable to climb back out with her. It w-would be too dangerous."

"I have an idea." Blue smirked, "It's foolproof I bet. One of the Angels has just the ability for something like this."

"Who?"

"Kite. He does a lot of inside work, but he's wicked outdoors too. Thing is, he can do a special teleportation skill." Blue boasted, "Unlike the ones physic types do, it has a usable range, can be used through objects, and can't be traced."

"How far can it reach?" Angelo asked with a hint of excitement.

"Like, a fifth of a mile. That's farther than a physic type could go too. Is that far enough?"

"No." Angelo shook his head, "They kept m..."

Angelo pushed his lips together as Blue blinked.

"Center of the cliff-side." he whispered.

"I'll call it in to Lancelot."

Angelo closed his eyes angered and turned away from Blue as he pulled out his device.

" _Ugh, stupid, stupid. Think first..._ " Angelo's eyes twitched, " _I could've had him just as confident without telling him._ "

"Positive." Angelo heard Blue whisper, "Alright."

Angelo waited until he turned the device off until he turned back around.

"The mission's set up. We're just going to be backup on the ground." Blue said, "Lancelot is going to come in with some other pro fliers."

Angelo's face twitched at Blue's questioning one.

"Happen to know anything else?" Blue asked quietly.

"No." Angelo bit.

"Just making sure." Blue backed away, "No worries."

"L-let's just go."

Blue nodded before starting to slowly lead.

" _Stupid, stupid, stupid. They're going to be all over your back when it comes to knowing anything now. Let my guard down for just a second..._ "

Shaking his head, Angelo followed Blue angrily.


	13. Chapter 13

"It's in sight! Let's pick it up! They're starting soon!"

Angelo hurried behind Blue as the cliff side started to come into view. The trees quickly lost their massive status and became shrubs and patches of tall grass as they approached.

The cliff side looked like it expanded all the way to the sun to Angelo.

"Alright, we're stopping here." Blue whispered.

Angelo crouched with Blue as they went into a nearby bush.

"See that Ariados?" Blue pointed. Angelo could make out a small appearinf Ariados moving upwards quickly. "This is a stealth mission. They already found out where she is, and that Ariados is going to cover the Mienfoo in string shot and then lower her down. There are pokemon prepared to catch her, too. After that, pokemon that can fly or climb are going to apprehend them up there."

"And w-what are we b-backup for?" Angelo whispered back.

"No one knows who's up there." the Zorua warned, "Numbers is key, and we have no gauge on their's."

Angelo looked to the left and right awkwardly.

"Let's just sit here and look alive." Blue said.

Angelo quickly lost track of the Ariados and looked around the bushes near him. He could see various pokemon waiting in similar positions across the small field. A lot of them were either shorter than the grasses or green and blended in well. A Serperior was so careful out in the open that it had its eyes closed to lose the gleam of red they gave.

"The Mienfoo's coming down now, and fast. That Ariados is just the pokemon for this." Blue smiled, "After that, it's going to get chaotic up there."

" _The Spikes are so ragtag to try and pull something like this. They're not the only group involved. It's most likely that they just joined the group Street Breed left on, the Interstellars. But if that were true, why wouldn't they have been in the Nightlight dome that night? They would try to take it into their own hands, knowing them._ "

Blue bumped Angelo's side and covered his mouth. Angelo traced his eyes quickly and looked where he was staring. An extraordinarily large Haxorous followed by a small mob of pokemon approached confidently, stomping past the pokemon in hiding. Angelo looked up the see the Ariados scurrying with the ball of string shot away from eyesight at impressive speed.

"Go." the Haxorous ordered. A Tranquill next to him responded by flying straight up the cliff side.

" _Attention. Attention._ "

Angelo felt close-range telepathy.

" _All Nightlights, do not approach. Suspect Haxorous is confirmed to be Gordon Acuity. Please be advised, do not engage. Lancelot Acuity inbound in two minutes. Mission successful. All master ranks and below leave the premises when order is passed._ "

Angelo's face dropped.

" _He's related to... Father. How? Who are they?_ "

"Stick to me like glue. I'm guarding you." Blue whispered barely audibly. Angelo nodded slightly in reply.

The Tranquill returned a moment later and faced the Haxorous landing on the ground.

"They denied, sir." the Tranquill reported.

"And they lack possession of the stone?" he questioned emotionless.

"No, sir." the Tranquill replied.

"Ugh..." the Haxorous sighed.

Eerily, the Haxorous stretched out his back and arms and started to stand up straight. He cracked his back with a grunt and looked upwards.

"Trivial. They always cared too much about the trivial."

The Haxorous took a deep breath before building up energy in his maw. From the white light, Angelo could tell it was a hyper beam. The Haxorous fired the attack that demonstrated huge range and kept it going. He moved his maw and aimed it underneath the cliff side slicing a long horizontal cut. Dust and boulders began to fall more and more as the Haxorous finished is attack.

"Mgh." the Haxorous gave a half-tired sigh, "That's enough for it."

Angelo and Blue watched as cave began to collapse in on itself and leave an empty husk on the cliff side. They dropped to the ground just in front of the wall for a minute until stopping. The hollowed piece of the cliff gave Angelo chills to see.

"Hm, I think they all left or had an escape ready." the Haxorous observed, "Well, no matter. If they don't have what we're looking for, it's as effective of a chore as running in circles. Mm?"

The Haxorous looked upwards at a shadow to see a Dragonite slowly descend to the ground with his arms crossed and a gauntlet around one of them. He kept a distance above the Haxorous and was in the entire group's vision.

"Ugh..." the Haxorous sighed, "Don't try looking tough up there. You're never alone, are you? Ah..."

The Haxorous looked left and right with bright realizing eyes.

"Am I... Interrupting something?" he smirked.

"I didn't come here to speak to anyone." Lancelot thinned his eyes.

"You don't look prepped for war, either." the Haxorous remarked, "So, saving someone it is then. You look a little less carefree then usual..."

The Haxorous studied his face with increasing intensity in his stare.

"Hmmm?" the Haxorous eyes widened, even though Lancelot's expression remained the same.

"The white star's here!" the Haxorous screamed, "Make a perimeter!"

The Dragonite immediately charged in front of the Haxorous and started throwing punches.

"We're going." Blue whispered and grabbed Angelo's arm. The two started to sprint once attacks started between the groups.

Blue jerked Angelo back when a Chesnaught landed in front of them with vines blocking their path. Blue responded by putting Angelo behind himself and firing a shadow ball. The Chesnaught moved minimally to evade the attack. He approached cautiously with a spiky shield on his arm.

Angelo noticed a Levanny coming from behind them. He met every razor leaf fired with the move swift.

" _Urgh, pinned just like that._ " Angelo gritted his teeth.

The Chestnaught was met with a flamethrower from a Talonflame overhead. Angelo saw the Levanny firing razor leaves at the Talonflame and immediately used a trump card that hit the Levanny in the head. It quickly fell back against the ground writhing.

Blue increased the pressure on the Chestnaught by firing more shadow ball attacks. The Talonflame quickly charged against it seeing an opportunity and knocked it to the floor.

"Hey, c'mon!" Blue shook Angelo.

"He's not winning, Blue." Angelo muttered, "Look."

Blue quickly saw that the Haxorous was repeatedly landing attacks against the Dragonite. When close together, the Dragonite was revealed to be twice as small as the opponent. The Haxorous continued to slug the Dragonite while his attacks failed to move him.

"You have to trust him, Angelo!" Blue ordered, "C'mon."

Angelo looked back one more time before nodding. Just as he started to run, he stopped hearing a large banging noise behind him. They both turned around to see the Dragonite on one knee pushed back by a sudden dragon pulse.

"Euhhh..." the Haxorous breathed a halo of smoke.

The Nightlights and Haxorous' followers both stopped in their tracks looking at the two dragon types. Instinctively, they both backed behind their leaders quickly. With a heave, Lancelot rose back to his feet.

Angelo and Blue qickly took to a nearby bush and watched the scene.

"Worn and torn, I take it?" the Haxorous sassed, "Unlike you, I don't have much desk work to attend to."

"You are not taking anything from us today." Lancelot said.

"Not too interested," the Haxorous replied, "All of your 'best and brightest' seem rather lackluster. I'm surprised you're offspring is even worth anything."

"You're the one worth the most here, with that bounty over your head." Lancelot retorted, "Stand down."

"Hmph." the Haxorous frowned, "The end is here. For you and your lackeys."

With a threatening heave, the Haxorous fired a dragon pulse. The Dragonite responded with his own to be overpowered quickly. He stroked his chin as the dragon pulse advanced just past his face.

"Where's the white star, Lancelot?" the Haxours ordered, "Or I'll turn the Association's backbone to ash right here."

The Dragonite only responded with a snort. The Haxorous thinned his eyes and raised his head as he took a deep breath. The Nightlights suddenly braced with defensive moves.

"Uh -oh." Blue whimpered. "He's going to fire a draco meteor sideways. They're going to get roasted."

"Aim for his maw right before he strikes." Angelo replied quietly, "Can you time it?"

"Uhm," Blue stammered, "Why can't you?"

"I know a move fast enough." Angelo winced, "Angels all have special abilities, yah? Use your fastest."

Blue rolled his eyes and nodded seriously. He stepped in front of Angelo on the edge of the bush taking a deep breath. Angelo watched as Blue made awkward movements with his paws as the Haxorous prepared energy in his maw.

"Right when it's in front of him." Angelo whispered in Blue's ear.

As Blue nodded, Angelo noticed he was holding a small spark in his hands.

" _Normal Zorua don't have any electric attacks..._ "

Angelo backed up as Blue took a deep breath. The crack of the Haxorous firing the attack sounded in sync with Blue's. He put his paw to shade his eyes watching the explosion in front of the group. The Nightlights immediately sprang into attacking at the opportunity. The Haxorous' group immediately began to flee.

"Okay, time to go. That's a wrap. Let's dip." Blue began ranting as he began to push Angelo.

Angelo and Blue jumped as a Greninja landed next to the bush.

"Oh, Damien!" Blue sighed.

"Nice aim, Blue." the Greninja complimented, "Now just say behind me."

The scene calmed quickly as Nightlights vanished and easily captured wounded pokemon. The Greninja loosened his stance when he was Lancelot sigh in relief. The Dragonite quickly noticed and flew over to Damien. Angelo followed Blue and shook the leaves off of himself.

"Blue, please always do that again." the Dragonite smirked, "Just, always."

"It was a really lucky hit." Blue replied, ""Besides, Angelo egged me on to do it."

"I d-didn't know you had lightning." Angelo rolled his eyes.

"It was a good call, nonetheless." the Dragonite smiled, "Big attacks like that have high vulnerability to being interrupted."

"What's the status on Gordon?" the Greninja turned to the Dragonite.

"He vanished running away with the others." he replied, "The Nightlights here aren't highly trained enough to keep up with them. They're also beginning focusing on seeing if they can rescue pokemon from the debris of the madman's attack."

"Who w-was t-that Haxorous?" Angelo asked quietly.

The Dragonite slowly bent down to come closer to Angelo's eye level.

"I'll tell you, but only after you have some food and rest. I'm not enjoying how you look right now. Damien," the Dragonite turned, "You can take charge of the situation here. I'll be attending to him. Have Blue help you as well."

"Got it." Damien nodded.

Carefully using both arms, the Dragonite picked up Angelo and set him on his shoulder.

"I know a good place where we can rest in Verde." the Dragonite smiled.

Angelo remained on the Dragonite's back until he began to feel bored from the scenery. He closed his eyes to quickly feel dizzy and tired.

"Just hold tightly." the Dragonite smiled.

"Yah." Angelo smirked back.


	14. Chapter 14

Angelo woke up vaguely remembering drinking something before he was laid down. Although he felt better, he still forced himself to sit up sleepily. He saw that he was in a small plain room with a ground floor window to the outside. Although the room was small, there was a small doorway leading into a large hallway.

" _Some sort of inn?_ " Angelo observed, " _Eh?_ "

Angelo turned his attention to a piece of paper next to the straw bed he was on.

" _My apologies. I had to leave before you woke up. The innkeeper here is a Ribombee who introduced me to your mother years ago. Miss Everette be accompanying you back to the Association once you are ready._ "

Angelo gave his attention back to the hallway.

" _I'm... Starving..._ " he sighed.

Angelo stalked though the hallway nervously to find there were no other doorways. The short hallway led into what seemed to be a restaurant with a natural theme. Vines were growing alongside the walls along with moss, and every wooden table had a different flower at it's center. Despite the size, the restaurant appeared empty.

"Oh, you're awake!" a high-pitched Ribombee chimed from above, "I baked a ton of sweets if you'd like." she descended.

"Uhm, yes please, miss." Angelo answered, "Thanks."

"Oh, you've got Vanessa's soft side..." she commented reminiscently, "Y-your voice is like her echo."

Angelo was surprised at the waver in the Ribombee's voice.

" _I want to ask what she was like, but I don't want to set off anything..._ "

"Oh!" the Ribombee exclaimed, "She definitely would've wanted you to try her favorite. I've already made it too!"

The Ribombee quickly flew behind the main desk. Angelo waited a short moment before going to one of the low-lying tables and sitting in front of it.

" _Must have known her well... But how? I'm still in the dark about what she did exactly and where she came from. I don't get why these aren't the first things I'm told..._ "

Angelo watched the Ribombee return quickly with a small black mushroom shaped object he'd never seen before.

"What i-is that?" Angelo glared.

"Oh," the Ribombee's eyes popped for a second, "It's a muffin!"

"A muffeen?" Angelo asked.

"A muffin." she nodded.

" _She's looking at me weird..._ " Angelo sweat dropped.

"Here, have a taste." she offered.

"It's edible?" Angelo questioned.

"Yeah! It was your mother's favorite." she added.

"O-k..."

Angelo took a small bite while eyeing the muffin. His face went bright red soon after. The Ribombee snickered in reply.

"What k-kind of muffin is this?" he asked.

"Chocolate." she replied.

"Oh." Angelo replied in monotone.

"It's ok if you don't like it." the Ribombee chuckled.

"I've j-just never had chocolate b-before..." Angelo replied quickly, "I like it a lot."

"Oh!" she smiled surprised, "You're mother adored it a lot. What do you normally eat?"

"Uhm, apples most of the time, along w-with other stuff t-that's common on s-streets."

"Well, we're one of a kind here." the Ribombee bragged, "We're actually considering moving shop to a Nightlight dome, even."

"How a-are you going to c-choose?" Angelo inquired.

"Well," she began, "We actually have a decent portion of our customers moving to work for the Nightlights. And since we have to move after, I'm thinking that I may as well follow."

Angelo nodded taking a slower bite of the muffin.

"Your father asked me if I could bring you along with me today, and I agreed quickly." she smiled, "So, feel free to ask me questions about anything. I'm one of the few who knows who your father married."

"What... What do you mean?" Angelo asked quickly.

"Your father's quite secretive about his personal life, given the public's eye. No one knew he was married, so most think your his child from before he even came to Valor. It's all... Really complicated adult stuff." she sighed.

"I'm n-not a stranger t-to 'adult stuff'." Angelo replied.

"Basically, your father and mother kept each other and you secret. Most pokemon don't even believe you exist, really, soooo... I guess that's good." she shrugged smiling.

"He's embarrassed by me, isn't he?" Angelo implied.

"Oh, heavens no, Angelo." she exclaimed, "The night he found you, he had one of his associates call me. He was in tears over you."

"I'm j-just surprised he d-didn't have a s-scowl on his face this time..." Angelo rolled his eyes.

"You'll see." she snickered, "Anyways, I'm expected to get you there before the end of the day. It's around noon about now. Eat as much as you want before we go, and I'll be bringing some more food too while we're traveling."

Angelo only nodded in reply taking another bite.

"I'll be out back."

Angelo heard the Ribombee buzz away as he took another slow bite.

" _This tastes so odd. I wonder how I like it so much..._ "

Angelo continued to eat happily until he started to slow down from being tired. He occasionally wiggled his head to keep himself awake. His ears twitched and his head moved when he saw the door to the restaurant open.

"Excuse me? We're closed right now!" the Ribombee quickly buzzed back into sight.

"Ordered take-out." an Ivysaur smirked.

The Ribombee was shocked hit with a quick razor lead as a mysterious powder quickly started to waft through the air. Angelo fired a shadow ball to obviously only hit a wall. His vision was quickly blocked by the fast moving powder.

" _Sleep powder... I don't have enough endurance for even a whiff._ "

Angelo went away from the table and backed up from the powder while facing it. His back leg touched banged on an object suddenly. With a quick blow to his back, he was sent sliding head first into the powder and slammed into a wall.

" _Done for..._ " Angelo winced.


	15. Chapter 15

Angelo woke with a start with a single pounding noise close to his head. He squeezed his eyes shut before opening them to feel himself being dizzy. He observed that he was in a darker room with the Haxorous' arm next to his face as he closed his eyes again.

"You're not that good of a key without a lock. We know Charlotte has the white stone." the Haxrous grimaced in a raspy voice, "Where is she?"

"If you n-need me so much, you ought t-to ask nicely." Angelo whispered.

The Haxorous cracked his back glared at Angelo.

"B-besides, I have t-too much nerve damage for you to d-do anything I can't already imagine." Angelo rolled his eyes. He was starting to be able to grasp the room he was in. It had clean steel walls with many smaller lights on the ceiling. He was tied simply bound in rope and was on the ground.

"Would you like to take that bet, or take that back?" the Haxorous smirked.

"I don't care about how big of a man brat you are, or how jealous you are of your brother." Angelo raised his voice, "Now go back to selling candy you stole from whatever nursery you just hopped out of," Angelo quickly took a big breath, "And stop bothering me!"

Angelo's hyper voice ringed intensely through room. The Haxorous covered his ears with both arms while Angelo went back to staring at him. The Haxorous uncovered his ears growling at him.

"That's what you get for using one way walls instead of being up front." Angelo shrugged.

Fire appeared on the Haxorous' claws as he stared down Angelo.

"Give it up a Gordon," a voice sounded, "He's too tough for anything. Don't waste your time. This kid has seen things."

The fire on the Haxorous' claw disappeared into smoke.

"Why are you so aggressive, anyways?" the Haxorous muttered, "Nothing like Lancelot at all."

Angelo felt too tired to answer and closed his eyes again.

"We almost have Charlotte, anyways."

The Haxrous pulled open and slammed the door behind him.

" _These bindings are designed to restrict the bio-energy of a pokemon in them._ " Angelo noted to himself, " _They can take a lot, but the limits are feasible for me to pass. I'll weaken them slowly, and run when I obtain my chance. They failed to take my very high bio-energy into account, here._ "

Angelo focused energy into the bindings slowly. Time passed quickly with the amount of effort it took to focus. He stopped suddenly when a Sceptile entered the room. Silently, the Sceptile used its vines to picked Angelo up and started towards leaving.

Outside of the door revealed they were inside another cave. Angelo couldn't recognize the cave from the rocks having a strange purple gleam, but it was much better lit than any other he had seen.

" _With how worn out I was, I could've been asleep for hours. It is impossible to estimate how far away I am..._ "

Angelo observed that there were no other pokemon in sight.

" _The Interstellars are certainly a little bit off for thugs. This Sceptile acts like he's some soldier. They most be devoted to that Haxorous..._ "

Angelo was brought from what was clearly the main area through a series of strange hallways. The area opened up again to reveal a huge amount of pokemon inside. Angelo's eyes widened slightly in surprise seeing the mob in front of the Haxorous on a small inclined plane made of rock. He winced seeing the Haxorous tossing up and catching a shining white stone.

"Well, Charlotte was just a decoy." the Haxorous announced, "But I'm surprised Street Breed was lazy enough to send someone so young."

As the Sceptile brought Angelo closer, he saw a Luxio staring at him worriedly.

" _Jonathan?_ " Angelo's eyes flashed awake.

"We're doing it right here, right now." the Haxorous announced, "You see, everyone here is equipped with blast wands and other weapons to put the hurt on the dragon. If you're wondering about compensating for a bio-energy generator... I can do that by myself."

"You're going to try and match the power supply of a huge building?" Angelo asked sarcastically.

"Unlike Lancelot, I'm not in the shallow end of the gene pool." the Haxorous smiled, "The main reason for the generator was so that the shock would be big enough to wake it up and a pokemon with huge bio-energy too transfer it into the stone since no normal way can handle it."

 _"I don't like how daring he is about this, and with the strength of that attack earlier he probably can..._ "

The Sceptile set Angelo on the ground and undid the bindings of rope on him. He quickly stepped back as the Haxrous approached and looked at Angelo directly.

"Listen here," he warned, "I'll let you go if you cooperate with us. This is far from personal, kid."

"You've no hope of controlling the dragon." Angelo replied harshly.

"Control it. Control it? Do you think we're mental?!" he shouted, "Look here."

The Haxorous set the glistening stone on the ground for Angelo to observe.

"Legendary pokemon were born to keep history on track. If you're into politics, you can feel a war coming soon with the nation of Maroon." the Haxorous said, "I'll spell it out for you. I'm a General. A Valorian General. I serve directly under the king of the nation the Association swears to protect."

"A little bit rogue then..." Angelo squinted.

"The dragon needs to wake up, or else." the Haxorous replied, "All of the good soldiers here with me agree. The Association barely has any jaw muscles to its bite. Our weapons we have here are to suppress the dragon to come to its senses when it wakes up if it goes berserk!"

"But-"

"My brother left you to me on purpose."

Angelo's heartbeat pulsed.

"The only ones who don't agree are the law-worshipers and Street Breed. Street Breed thought we wanted to destroy the Association, but they were just assuming with bits and pieces of the story."

Angelo took a breath to reply.

"We need your strength."

Angelo audibly lost his breath turning around and looking up high. A Ribombee floated down close to his face with concern.

"Please." she begged.

"It's true."

Angelo started visibly sweating and shaking. A Dragonite with its arms folded revealed himself from the corner of the room.

"I had to setup the battle in the public eye to have an excuse to pass you on here. I am going behind the backs of many." he said sadly, "I will be assisting in the needs for energy."

"I was assigned to get you into our care so we could being setting up tricks for higher ups to believe."

Angelo turned behind him to see a Leafeon below them.

"As soon as I heard about you from some street thugs," Charlotte's voice cracked, "I knew you were my sister's."

A formally appearing Mightyena approached Angelo on the plane from the side.

"I am Theodore Valor. You have the king's pardon, young man." he smirked, "Not everyone would agree with doing something so drastic, but we are but weeks away from the belligerent nation of Maroon beginning an assault. It may be difficult with your upbringing and your youth, but you can leave the adult matters to us."

" _I can't- What? Is he for real? Although, I don't know what the king looks like, even..._ "

"A couple of us Angels are here for muscle work." a female Victini flew down next to the Ribombee, "So you can just dip after, kid."

"Uhm, Light." the Luxio spoke up, "Uhm, listen, I dunno what's up or anything... But please just get me out of here."

Angelo sweat dropped.

"But, then..." Angelo whispered, "W-who took me into S-Street Breed?"

"I found you out in the woods all alone."

Angelo turned to the near back to see a Heliolisk leaning against the way inside.

"I was just fourteen or fifteen. I did everything I could. I still don't know how you got there." he shrugged, "But we'll get em. As a team of Nightlights." he winked.

"Jaden here assisted us in separating Street Breed's ruffians and their other members." the Dragonite input, "He was unaware of the Interstellar's true goal, but he defended my son for years. He is no ruffian." he smiled.

"Alright, attention here." Charlotte said smiling.

The Leafeon approached the small incline and climbed onto it with ease. She approached Angelo, who was still shivering.

"Relax, we've got a plan. A great one if I do say so myself." she smirked.

"Hah." the Victini laughed.

"Yours was terrible, Anne." the Leafeon replied, "Anyways, we're in a structure known as the Relic Caves."

"Decently far from the eyes of Valor." Lancelot added.

"Because the dragon is going to be in a berserk state when it first wakes up." Charlotte finished.

"No matter how much of a shock we give it, its mind won't be fully there." the Haxorous said.

"We're going to have to bring down the dragon's power to approximately seventy-five percent." the Leafeon sweat dropped, "Without, no matter what, letting it leave this cave."

"When it's body forms, every pokmon in here will be going for its wings." the Mightyena declared.

"With it's estimated weight, it'll crash straight through the floor into the huge empty space beneath us. That's where the magic happens." the Victini smiled excitedly.

"Me and Gordon will be engaging in close combat while the others chip away from above. We will distract the dragon from being able to retaliate against them."

"It's a good thing I gave you that hugely sugary muffin." the Ribombee's feet shifted, "You're going to need it to even be conscious after shocking it awake."

"But, how do you a-all know s-so m-much about t-this thing?" Angelo questioned.

"It was the main subject of your mother's research." the Dragonite answered lowly, "It was stolen along with you."

"And lastly," the Leafeon suddenly said, "We have fliers in case we need to pursue it quickly."

"You've got nothing to worry about." the Dragonite approached and knelt down to Angelo's eye level, "This isn't as high risk as you think it is."

"A Legendary pokemon going berserk in a cave doesn't sound risk free." Angelo replied quietly.

"We can handle it, large or small." Lancelot smiled.

Angelo's breathing started to slow as Lancelot smile grew bright.

"Afterwards, I know how to bake a few things your mother liked." he offered.

Angelo looked to see either pokemon with either confident looks or calming smiles looking at him.

"Ok." Angelo nodded.


	16. Chapter 16

Angelo approached the white stone on the ground and took a deep breath in front of it. The Haxorous knelt down behind him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Simply pour energy into it. Me and Lancelot will be providing you with energy as well for it to be enough." the Haxorous nodded.

Angelo put both of his paws on the stone and took a deep breath before starting. He started to tire quickly before the effect suddenly stopped with him feeling strength coming to him from his shoulders. He pushed energy into it as quickly as he could.

"I think I feel a pulse." Angelo commented. Pouring energy into the stone only made a slight buzzing noise. "It's getting faster."

"Alright, let's back off." the Haxorous said, "Get behind Charlotte."

Angelo immediately jumped down the back downwards and hid by the Leafeon's feet.

Lancelot and the Haxorous backed away a slight distance as the stone began to float. Its energy started to swirl around itself as the temperature in the cave started to increase suddenly.

"Fire type." the Leafeon reported.

The Dragonite and Haxorous covered their faces as the energy began to enlarge and take sharper and sharper shape. Massive wings that forced the Dragonite and Haxorous even further back became visible.

"Not yet!" a shout sounded.

The light suddenly disappeared to reveal the creature had a massive purely white body. It moved extremely slightly before a blue eye opened on its head.

A barrage of attacks sounded immediately. Angelo had to look slightly away from it as the rocks beneath it gave way and it fell through the floor. A cold silence fell.

"Look alive!" a voice reminded.

"It's been a while." the Dragonite cracked his neck.

"Just don't get wimpy on me." the Haxorous ordered.

The Haxorous hopped and fell downwards while the Dragonite flew into the hole. The Victini followed close behind the Dragonite.

"I'm going in too."

A Buizel from Angelo's left reported before diving in. Two sounds one after another of the pokemon falling sounded as they heard slight movement below.

" _Is it... Docile?_ "

Angelo and others screamed slightly at the huge roar sending formidable rocks falling from the ceiling. Angelo felt the sensation of falling as a rock smashed frighteningly close to him. He closed his eyes as Charlotte grabbed him.

Angelo could tell he fell on top of the Leafeon and quickly scuffled to his feet. She followed suite immediately.

The Haxorous looked back during a tense stare down with the large dragon pokemon.

"Lancelot! They fell!" he yelled.

Lancelot looked back stunned for a short moment before turning back to the dragon.

"Zen, keep to them!" he ordered.

Angelo looked around to see that there was no exit. The part of the cave was like an enormous dome with light being given off from variously colored stones jutting out of the walls.

The Buizel began to run towards Angelo and Charlotte before being cut off by the dragon stomping in front of him. The Dragonite and Haxorous attacked from both sides of the dragon to be flung away by it flapping it's wings. The Haxorous let loose a cry as his leg was pierced by a rock on the wall.

Different attacks from above started to quickly rain on the dragon, but it continued to walk towards Angelo and Charlotte undeterred.

"Stay behind me." the Leafeon ordered frantically, "Auntie's got you. I've got you."

The dragon's from was still difficult to see due to flames surrounding it's body and embers swirling in the air.. As it approached, it's visible eye glowed and the Leafeon rose into the air.

" _Psychic!?_ "

Angelo watched helplessly as the Leafeon was flung behind the dragon. The Buizel pounded against the flames with powerful water type attacks, but the flames overwhelmed them instantly.

" _It's still only going for me.._."

Angelo began to back away and ran towards the wall of the cave. He looked back to see the dragon still was approaching him.

" _I've got to drive it off._ "

Angelo quickly prepared a trump card attack in his hand and brought back his paw to throw it. He swung his arm to have his movement stop suddenly. He shivered seeing the dragon's eye glowing.

" _No._ "

Angelo attempted to struggle, but the power of the move didn't let him move any limb at all. Both of his paws were folded behind his back as he was lifted slightly in the air. The dragon was beginning to stomp so closely that the ground below him gained a red color.

From the corner of his vision, Angelo could see the Dragonite firing a huge hyper beam on the dragon's back. Flames erupted from the ground stopping the attack and putting the Dragonite back out of view. The dragon started to growl in awkward patterns as it made a final stomp facing Angelo.

"Stay back!" Angelo whimpered.

The dragon stopped growling in reply.

" _Did it... Understand?_ "

Angelo felt dizzy as its psychic power influenced his head. He gritted his teeth and shook his head. The strange feeling stopped seconds after it started. The dragon began to look at Angelo curiously.

"You've evolved to use such a strange language." the dragon spoke in a female voice.

Angelo panicked as it moved its mouth completely differently from before.

"I have missed you dearly. Shall we band together again?"

Angelo started to get dizzy as his breathing increased.

" _H... Help._ "


	17. Chapter 17

Angelo woke up feeling dizzily tired. He squinted his eyes looking around himself.

"Close your eyes." a soft voice ordered, "Don't worry, I'll make things all appear clear."

"What happened? Where was I just now?" he asked.

"Shhh." the voice hushed, "Focus only on my voice. Tell me your name."

"Angelo Acuity." he responded.

"You were the one who put energy in the white stone?"

Angelo's memory of what happened snapped into his head.

"Don't open your eyes."

"W-w-why?!" Angel asked panicked.

"I failed to see you are still a child. My form overwhelmed you with fear and caused you to faint. One step at a time. Were you the one to put energy into the white stone?"

"Yes..." Angelo whispered.

"Good, good." she replied.

"Where are we?" Angelo tensed.

"We're in a dream. Right now, you are safe in your father's arms. You can open your eyes, but don't look behind yourself yet."

Angelo opened his eyes to find he was under the shade of a huge white wing. Past the wing, he could make out grass and stairs in the distance.

"I am going to bring a mirror in front of you. Observe yourself."

A circular mirror that glowed with psychic energy slowly came down in front of him. He was shocked to see the what the mirror showed.

"A Flareon?" Angelo asked. He grew quiet to see that the Flareon copied how he moved. It had a white base color for its fur, but the fur that was usually yellow in its body was a silvery gray. It carried Angelo's different colored eyes with one being white and one being blue.

"I think you will have less fear of me once you realize where you are from. Go up the stairs and I will help walk you through."

Angelo closed his eyes again as wind sent his fur flying into his face. The dragon quickly left upwards to the sky as he wiped his face and looked up for it. The bright sun blocked his vision. When he looked behind himself, there was only a thick fog that seemed to stretch up towards the sky.

" _Ok..._ " he huffed, " _Guess we're doing this._ "

Angelo took another look at the mirror as he went past and crossed the plan of grass. Once he went up the stairs, an enormous castle came into view that had lustrous gold lining it's walls and strange gears combined with patches of flowers.

"In those early days, " the dragon's voice sounded, "The world was still measurably young. Distortions in space-time were created, known as mystery dungeons, changing the way pokemon lived in this world. It is also in this time that a tradition of summoning warriors from the human world began to deal with crisis."

Angelo walked cautiously down the main brick pathway. The rusted gears mixed with the wild flowers made the area seem dilapidated and abandoned. A huge door leading inside waited on the end of the pathway. It was half open and falling away, and it looked like a lever on the ground used to control it.

He entered to see light was streaming inside from holes in the ceiling.

"When the world settled, pokemon required a new way of living. A different form of order. A powerful being created three world orders, including Verity and Valor. Valor was close to the planet's equator while Verity was originally in the milder south of it. He dubbed the first king of Valor Azelf, and the first queen of Verity Mesprit." the dragon's voice faded like water.

" _Where is that pokemon... Legendary pokemon are so strange with how they interact..._ "

Angelo continued through the large dome-like building to find another smaller space outside. A basic concrete fountain without water stood in the center, and broken pieces or rock were scattered across the ground varying in size.

"The final kingdom lorded over the cold north. It was winter most of the year, and the kingdom thrived in interacting with the environment in ingenious ways. All pokemon could thrive in the kingdom of Acuity, and its first king was named Uxie."

"Acuity?!" Angelo yelled aloud. He waited a short moment with no reply.

" _Mystery dungeons died three-thousand years ago..._ " Angelo mentally noted continuing, " _I didn't know Legendary pokemon could live for so long..._ "

Angelo carefully walked avoiding sharper rocks on the ground. When he continued back inside, he suddenly came upon a long room that owned paintings of different pokemon on both sides of the hallway. It was huge in scale, and a lone enormous chair remained in the center with gold lining its edges. It had a velvet color on its torn cushioning. From a quick estimate, it was about an eighth of a mile long hallway.

" _There most be tons of other parts I skipped..._ "

Angelo studied the paintings to find they were all different pokemon. From one to the next, they looked related.

"There were many good years, until Acuity fell all at once. It was a third of what you could imagine as the apocalypse. A problem in the heart of a pokemon showed its ugly head. An evil promised three Legendary pokemon the crowns in exchange for betraying the cause of keeping history on the correct path. To put it simply, they are now known as Traitor pokemon."

"That sounds too simple for Legendary pokemon to be tricked by." Angelo implied.

"Many layers are to this story, young Angelo. The Legendary pokemon that fell were known as Giratina, Kyurem, and Yveltal. They now combat the success of civilization."

"But how?" Angelo asked, "Even if they are Legendary pokemon, they are still just living beings that can die and are outnumbered not only by us, but other Legendary pokemon."

"Giratina and Yveltal are especially spiritual pokemon pertaining to their plane of existence. Giratina has been horribly altered into having the size of mountains. Yveltal lets loose a terrible aura that drains energy from living things, creating a ten mile radius around itself that is deadly to normal creatures, including most legendary pokemon. Kyurem has had its limits placed on its power removed, and creates a blizzard that slowly expands until it can swallow the earth. The blizzard will grow colder, stopping only at the point before absolute zero."

"A blizzard?" Angelo questioned, "These all sound far fetched."

"It is the same blizzard the pushes at the backs of the Maroonians to move closer to Valor. Kyurem lies dormant at its very center."

" _It could still be berserk..._ " Angelo thought, " _Possibly thinking it's still in ancient times. But mentioning the Maroonians shows that it has knowledge on the world today..._ "

"Why am I here then? What am I supposed to do?" Angelo asked quietly.

"Legendary pokemon bond our powers to normal ones. This increases the power of the Legendary pokemon exponentially when it is under a controller."

"Some sort of symbiotic relationship?" Angelo began to walk forward, "How does this help any situation you just described?"

"Yveltal is under a great sleep and will not awaken in this age. It is necessary for Legendary pokemon to be bound to Scions to increase combat effectiveness. I don't suppose you noticed..."

Angelo jumped as the dragon appeared through a hole in the roof a few meters in front of him. It set itself down gently before lifting its head.

"Bio-energy is unique to all pokemon, except to Legendary pokemon." the dragon relaxed its body on the ground, "Since we are made, we are bound to share the exact same energy with a pokemon that would be born according to a timed plan. Sometimes, we even share physical resemblances despite the species of the Scion."

Angelo blinked and held out his paw in front of him. Its color completely matched the dragon's body.

"You may be wondering what your gray portions of fur represent..." the dragon hinted.

Angelo nodded. The body of the dragon was white completely with the exception of its eye. He started to be able to focus on it enough to recognize its physical features. It had two enormous legs and appeared to even have claws on the ends of its wings.

"The gray shows your connection to Kyurem. Kyurem and I are meant to be as one."

"So, I'm his Scion too? But isn't he one of those Traitor pokemon?" Angelo inquired.

"I can hear it in the winds of the storm."

Angelo shivered as the dragon began to speak emotionally.

"He longs to be our ally again, but he cannot approach. His heart has been in turmoil for years, and has been the only deterrent to unleashing his blizzard on the world. However..."

Angelo looked the dragon in its eyes.

"His guilt will not last forever. He continues to observe darkness in the world and feel less sorrow for living creatures by the moment. You must reach him and be prepared for battle by the winter solstice."

Angelo felt a sudden pang of sleep in his head. The dragon seemed start fading away as black crept into his vision.

"We will communicate soon."


	18. Chapter 18

Angelo felt like he was waking up from being asleep. Looking back, the dragon seemed like a dream. He used his arms to pull himself back to sit up, and saw he was on a soft white mattress. The room seemed to have medical supplies inside, but Angelo could tell they were unused.

" _I feel so... Tired... Not sleepy, though._ "

Angelo's ears perked up seeing a door to the room automatically open. A small pokemon floated through a split second after.

" _A Jirachi!?_ " Angelo blinked.

"I came as soon as I noticed you began to move." he announced, "A please to meet you, Angelo."

"Hello."

Angelo blinked and felt his throat as he spoke.

"Your evolution was very... Well, awkward." he shrugged smiling, "I have been assigned to help put you up to speed."

Angelo looked at his paw to see his fur was the same white as the dragon's.

"So, usually in evolution, bio-energy increases." the Jirachi started, "But, yours decreased close to nothing until starting to increase again... It appears your body is altering itself using your own energy, but there haven't been any visible changes yet."

"What happened?" Angelo asked with a paw on his head.

"Well, it's top secret, naturally. But," Kite replied slowly, "The being faded in a blaze of light, and you were simply left there on the ground unconscious. That was around eighteen hours ago."

"So, no one understands what happened?" Angelo asked.

"Not particularly," the Jirachi frowned, "From what I can tell, though, you seem to be suffering over-exhaustion. It may be around a week until your body stops its changes. Keep me updated if you feel anything odd."

"Alright..." Angelo nodded, "How are Jonathon and Charlotte, though?"

"Pertaining to them, there were complications..." the Jirachi winced.

"Did they get away?"

The Jirachi blinked surprised by his question for a moment.

"The Heliolisk escaped, and the Luxio was not given a chance. I'm afraid he's being held here on different accusations."

A low growl escaped Angelo's lips.

"None of them are plausible. He is going through examinations and other standard processes set in place. As for miss Charlotte, she is actually a worker here in the Association." the Jirachi smiled.

" _Ah, that's not a shocker..._ "

"Do you know anything you'd like to share about Jonathon?" the Jirachi asked, "You may help smooth things along for him, actually."

"Mmh... I only have a general idea." Angelo responded.

"By all means." the Jirachi invited.

"His last name is Howler." Angelo recalled, "Abusive family. When he was six, a bunch of thieves broke into their home one night."

The Jirachi sat and stared. Angelo could tell he had his attention.

"He begged to go with them, and he did. He was exchanged between groups dozens of times until the Heliolisk, Lorenzo, took him in. See, Lorenzo had a sort of..." Angelo trailed, "Way of doing things."

"How did he operate?" the Jirachi asked quietly.

"He always takes in pokemon without anywhere to go. The starving, homeless... He either helps them in some manner, or lets them into the group."

"And what of his morals?" the Jirachi asked.

"It's... Complicated." Angelo muttered, "He would steal while telling me and Jonathon it was wrong. He always did it instead of us so we wouldn't 'get our hands dirty'. Every time I asked why he didn't find a job, he said I was too young to understand. He's looked distressed for years now."

"So you understand fully he is a criminal... But it is an incomplete story. His hand is not always his own." the Jirachi observed, "According to what Lancelot was informed of, he acted as your guardian?"

"Yah." Angelo nodded, "He's kept an eye over both me and Jonathan. He's kept an eye over a lot of pokemon, no matter who they were."

"As the head of information, I set up different missions for the Association and rank their difficulty and type. I will be personally be creating a special mission for this Heliolisk. It is clearly a delicate situation. As for you..."

Angelo looked up wondering.

"You look much too stressed. You ought to try the shops downstairs." the Jirachi smiled, "Also, I implemented the basic agent functions of a Nightlight gadget into your necklace. You're now able to use it more or less for anything a cell phone could do."

"Uhm, thanks." Angelo sweat dropped.

"Paperwork to do." the Jirachi sighed. "Farewell, it's always nice to meet another member of the Angel branch."

Angelo blinked in surprise at his comment as he left through the door again.

" _I guess Lancelot volunteered me... Well, I don't mind._ "

The first thing Angelo did was pull out the necklace from his neck fur.

" _They must of remade it. It's much bigger now and would've been deformed in the fire._ "

Angelo felt the center to find it had a see through screen. It lit up on contact.

" _Let's see... Calls... Texts... Mission registration? Huh. I wonder who's in here. Kite August, so that Jirachi, Lancelot Acuity, and Blue._ "

Angelo shook as the necklace vibrated.

" _Call from Blue.._."

Angelo clicked the green button and brought the star near his ear.

"Heeeeey, up and at em?" the voice asked.

"Yah." Angelo answered, "Did you know?"

"Yeah. I did, actually." the voice replied with slight guilt, "Look, man. You're cool and all, but uh... Screw that. I'm still celebrating no one died. Saw footage of it too, and eugh... Text me if you feel like doing anything later. Way too early for me at the moment... See ya, hot shot."

Angelo blinked at Blue's last comment as the call ended.

" _He was in on it too. And he knows I'm a Flareon. Well, he is a member of the Angel branch._ "

Angelo looked to see that the time was displayed on the main page.

" _Six is a bit early. I should get something to eat, but I don't exactly have money..._ "

The screen flashed again. This time, a white star was next to the text menu.

" _He... Really liked that name._ " Angelo sweat dropped.

Angelo pressed on the menu and found the symbol again next to Lancelot's name. He clicked on that and began to read.

" _Glad you're awake, Angelo. I have urgent business, as usual, so we can catch up later. Sparing you the details, I went ahead and made no disguises to your identity. If you do not wish to walk around as the white star yet, then come up stairs and Kite will help you. However, we really could use a symbol to calm nerves, if you would allow for it to be you. I'll be available later tonight._ " Angelo read, " _What should I do for food? I don't have any money..._ " he replied.

Angelo waited a moment before the screen lit up again.

" _Simply scan the star into machines to pay for anything you buy. Feel free to get anything you would like. I owe you fourteen birthday presents still. Also, you have an assigned room. Check room 3A on the forty-ninth floor._ " Lancelot replied.

" _Heh._ " Angelo smiled, " _Well, that's the second to highest floor. I'll check there first._ "

Angelo slowly climbed off of the mattress and proceeded through the door. He immediately noticed a sign a bit higher above him with arrows pointing in different ways. He began down the hallways consistently following the directions for the elevator. The area got much roomier as he approached the elevator.

" _I guess it's so huge because of the sheer amount of use it has. It must be moving around the clock for being this tower's only elevator. Although, from the signs it looks like there are multiple stairwells too._ "

Angelo moved forward and pressed the red button lying on the floor. It sparked immediately to a green color. He waited a few minutes before the door started to slowly open. A sleepy looking Musharna left the elevator with three other talkative pokemon still inside. They were a Deerling, Manectric, and Smeargle.

Angelo walked in slowly aiming to not be noticed. The pokemon continued their idle conversation as Angelo picked out the button for the forty-ninth floor. The panel on the wall lit up a circle on the bottom and read to scan. He instinctively raised the necklace to it to find it succeeded easily.

Once he finished, he hid his necklace in the fur on his neck again and awkwardly went away from the panel. He daydreamed while the elevator started to move up.

"Hey, who's that over there..."

"Must be new."

Angelo could tell they were whispering in very low voices. He was surprised to be able to hear them. From the force of the elevator, Angelo could tell they were moving upwards. He looked at the door expectantly when an automatic voice sounded the floor. He got off immediately walking slowly as the door close behind him. He started to use signs again to search for the room.

" _Left, right, and..._ "

Angelo walked backwards a step seeing the door. The floor directly in front of the door had a small circle similar to the elevator. Angelo held the star to it again to find it immediately open.

"Hey!"

Angelo jumped.

"Sorry, sorry." a Buizel apologized, "Zen, from earlier."

Angelo looked around through the room. It was larger than he thought it would be. The bed alone looked like it could fit ten of him in it, and the walls were a sparkling peach color. The room seemed extremely gentle. The Buizel rubbed his head standing awkwardly in the middle.

"I was actually sent here to set up something for the room. Lancelot said you'd really love a hot tub." he smiled.

"What is this room?" Angelo asked wonderingly.

"Well... For a long time it was your mother's is what Lancelot told me." the Buizel replied softly, "He had pokemon start cleaning it up once you were brought back here. He reasoned it was a way for you to know her..."

Angelo nodded while looking around the room further. Every part of the room was visible from the entrance with no walls in it. There were two stairs leading up to the bed in the very center of the room.

"So, Zen. You're a member of the Angel branch?"

"Yup." he nodded, "If you stick around I can show you how to use the hot tub, too. It'll just be another short moment..."

Angelo smiled and continued to look around the room. There was a small lounging area with elegant furniture on the left side of the bed. A television screen sat up high on the wall with a small computer on a small round table near one of the chairs. The Buizel was working in this visible tub on the other side of the bed.

"You'd have to ask Lancelot for details, but I hear she was really social which is why the room looks the way it does." the Buizel commented.

"It feels surreal in here..." Angelo said, Although I suppose it's probably just me."

"I feel the same, too." The Buizel smiled, "All set, here."

Angelo approached the left side of the room to notice the dip in the ground. The circular floor of it was completely white.

"There's a self-explanatory control center right here on the ground." the Buizel pointed, "You can also set it up from your star for when you're coming back to your room. I'm going to uh, head out now."

The Buizel waved quickly as he exited back through the door. Angelo was left alone staring at the tub.

" _Wait a second..._ " he looked up.

Angelo immediately ran back down to the door and looked left and right. The Buizel was close to turning a corner.

"Hey, wait!" Angelo yelped.

"Yeah?" the Buizel turned around confused.

"Do you know any good places to eat?" Angelo replied nervously.

"Oh, wow." the Buizel realized, "You must be half-dying. Follow me." he offered chuckling.

"Thanks." Angelo sighed.


	19. Chapter 19

"I must admit, I thought you'd be a little antisocial like your father is, especially with how you grew up and all."

The Buizel started the conversation in the small restaurant. The restaurant floors and and tables were all made from a wood with a gorgeous dark brown color. From what Angelo could tell, the same held for the plates.

"I'm actually usually a bit more, uhm, social." Angelo blushed.

"Yeah?" he raised an eyebrow, "Don't feel comfortable here, then?"

"No. I like being discrete." Angelo's ears sagged.

"Well, even if pokemon recognize you it's not necessary to be out in the open all the time. Most pokemon here respect each other's personal space, and no one's going to stalk you if that's what your worried about." he smirked.

"Take a look around."

Angelo watched Zen's eyes as he did a quick scan of the room. Although they weren't in the center set of tables in the rectangular building, Angelo could still tell he was being looked at. Zen's eyes and growing frown only made it more clear.

"I mean, it is just your fur color..." the Buizel winced.

"Yah, but it's still..." Angelo got caught in his words. The feeling was hard to describe.

"Well, it looks far from bad." he shrugged, "I mean, lots of the girls seem to like it."

Angelo frowned.

"No one's judging your character on it, there's no need to worry. You ordered something quite sweet for breakfast." he noticed smiling.

"I, uhm, like sweet things. Apparently." Angelo blushed.

"Same. You seem extremely athletic though..." the Buizel giggled, "I don't think I could handle as many sweets as you without ballooning up."

"Athletic... Well, I guess so." Angelo thought, "I always do something active every day, at least."

"I can tell." he replied.

The Buizel pulled out a small device from a tiny bag strapped to his side. He studied the lit screen for a short moment.

"Looks like Blue's going to say hello." he reported, "He'll here in just a minute. He's rather fast to jump to conclusions..."

"I don't mind." Angelo smiled, "I kind of like him."

"It's a complicated thing I have with him." he sighed, "He's good, though."

"Yeah, I'm pretty amazing."

Angelo yelped as the shiny Zorua seemed to appear on the table from nowhere.

"Sorry." he sweat dropped, "I was just showing off my newest illusion."

"I mean, he's passable." Zen remarked.

"Hmph." Blue pouted. He quickly went off the table to take the place as the third point of a triangle.

"So, what do you plan to do for today?" Zen asked idly.

"I'm not sure yet. I'd like to do a mission, but that'd make getting noticed a huger problem immediately." Angelo sighed.

"Speaking of noticing," Blue added with wide eyes, "Bro, did you completely lose your stutter?"

" _Uh. Wha?_ "

Angelo blinked.

"How'd you lose it so fast?" Blue questioned.

"I didn't do anything." Angelo realized aloud.

"Did you always have it?" Zen asked.

"No..." Angelo sighed remembering, "I took a bad psychic type attack a long while back. IT usually only goes away with enough adrenaline."

"That... Sounds like it'd be permanent?" Blue turned to Zen, "Right?"

"Mhm." the Buizel nodded, "Have you noticed anything else since evolving?"

"Uhm, I can hear a little better." Angelo added awkwardly, "Things just sound sharper I guess."

"I have an idea!" the shiny Zorua exclaimed, "You're probably getting these, like, super senses."

Th Buizel and Angelo stared at him.

"I mean, it's just that Legendary pokemon are said to see the world better." he replied quietly, "I mean it's all I can think of... Maybe you're getting superpowers..."

Angelo and the Buizel stared at him longer.

"Stop looking at me like that." Blue pouted.

"Sorry, just seems so far far fetched..." the Buizel sighed smiling, "I mean, isn't the likely answer that he's just affected by being so close to it and it ran off somehow?"

"How would it though? I just straight up vanished into thin air is what you told me..." the shiny Zorua complained.

"Wait, is that our food over there?" the Buizel pointed.

An Ursaring with an enormous plate covered with a metal top approached the table and set it down.

"Here ye are. I think you three lads can handle it." he chuckled.

The three pokemon's eyes widened as the Ursaring quickly pulled off the top. Angelo smirked slightly while the shiny Zorua and Buizel slowly turned to him.

"Oh." the shiny Zorua finally said.

The Buizel looked at Angelo again hearing a low growl in his throat.

"What'd ya get?" Blue asked Angelo.

"Uhm, just their 'sweet mountain'." Angelo looked at the pair. He suddenly shifted while sitting feeling self-conscious.

"I'll introduce you to some ladies if you eat all of it." Blue said seriously.

The Buizel and Angelo both looked at the shiny Zorua awkwardly.

"What?" he asked.

"I mean..." Angelo sighed nervously, "I probably wouldn't end up talking to them then, so..."

"Journey of a thousand miles." the shiny Zorua smirked handing the Flareon a wooden spoon.

"Ok..." Angelo looked at the huge cake-like pastry. From his best guess, it was about the same size as he was.

"I wonder if he has super hunger." Blue whispered in Zen's ear.

"Heard that." Angelo rolled his eyes.

Angelo slowly took a bite from a spoonful of the bottom of it. He sighed smiling with the spoon still in his mouth.

"How is it?" the shiny Zorua asked curiously.

"With food like this, I don't know how higher class society has any problems." he muttered smiling dreamily.

The Buizel chuckled at the comment. Angelo continued to eat as they carried a conversation about another day. Angelo gave too little connection to connect the conversation as he continued to take dozens of small bites quickly.

"But then why'd he- Oh shoot..." the shiny Zorua turned to Angelo, "He's finna do it.

"Oh, let's go." Zen smirked mischievously as Angelo continued. The cake had lost its height and was down to the final layer.

"But, like, it's only been fifteen minutes." Blue sweat dropped, "C'moooon."

"Hey, you made the bet." the Buizel shrugged.

"I know, Zen, but like..." the shiny Zorua sighed.

Angelo kept going at the same pace until he finished with a smile.

"Ohhhhh... How'd he eat all of thaaaaaat!?" Blue scratched his head.

"This should be good." Zen smiled brightly.

"Eh?" Angelo turned to them, "Oh, is it Blue's challenge?"

"Know what?" Blue frowned, "It'll be fine. In fact, it'll go great. I'm amazing at this, after all." the shiny Zorua stood proudly, "Bold, elegant, the classic traits can carry you far."

" _!_ "

"Angelo?" Zen questioned suddenly, "You good?"

"Eh?" Blue looked at him, "You alright?"

"You look..." Angelo muttered, "Like that Mightyena."

The Buizel and shiny Zorua looked at each other with panicked eyes.

"L-like a Mightyena?" Blue questioned slowly.

"You're... Related." Angelo whispered, "I can tell."

"Uh, uhm." Blue muttered.

The Buizel took a deep breath.

"We'll tell you about it later. At this point, it's fair for you to know about us if we're going to be on the same team." Zen reasoned, "But, for now, I've had enough serious talk for today. Let's see what Blue has up his sleeve." he smirked lightly.

"Hey, when you're powerful in this field you don't need tricks." Blue pouted.

"Hah." Zen replied.

The Ursaring returned and offered the group the check. Zen volunteered and scanned his gadget Blue began to speak as soon as they exited the door.

"Follow me." he declared as he trotted forward.

"Is this a thing he does?" Angelo asked Zen in a hushed voice.

"He feels a lot of pressure, for reasons you could guess." Zen replied quietly.

" _That Mightyena said he was Theodore Valor._ " Angelo recalled to himself, " _That'd make him royalty. So, he could easily feel pressured to find a girlfriend as soon as he can. Maybe Zen looks out for him._ "

"We're we goin, Blue?" Zen asked smiling.

"Concert." Blue replied, "It's where I go when I give up trying to talk to self-absorbed..."

The Buizel and Angelo sweat dropped as the shiny Zorua started to rant to himself.

"Honestly, I'm not too certain how ladies act usually. All the ones I met were rather sadistic." Angelo sighed.

"Same here." Blue growled.

"Also, what kind of concert is open in the morning?" Angelo asked giggling.

"The rich and 'eloquent' kind." Blue answered.

"Kite is dating Anne. Maybe we ought to invite him." Zen offered, "I mean, we hardly ever invite him since he's so tied up with her and working."

"Is he... Uhm..." Angelo muttered, "Part of the team, too?"

"Yeah." the Buizel nodded, "Pretty talented. He's just a bit older than us at eighteen. He's really popular."

"Most popular member, actually." the shiny Zorua pointed out snickering, "Just as charming as me. Go ahead and invite him, Zen."

"Course." the Buizel smiled pulling out his device, "Where is the concert, anyways?"

"In the mall." Blue smiled, "Great for if Angelo wants stuff, too."

"I can't imagine wanting anything..." Angelo remarked, "But, maybe... Where is this mall, anyways?"

"In the city, we know where to go." the Buizel assured.

"Hah. This guy lost his room a few weeks back." the shiny Zorua laughed.

"No, I lost my gadget to get into it." Zen reminded with sass.

" _They seem a lot, different..._ " Angelo thought walking just behind the pair, " _I expected the Angel branch to be more dramatic at the very least. They seem like ordinary pokemon, even though I know for a fact they're Angel branch members because their abnormal. It's so... Weird. Especially for Blue... Well, I haven't pinned anything normal about him yet._ "


	20. Chapter 20

As the sun began to heat the air, Angelo started to feel a little bit more wary. They approached a huge indoors complex made of shining steel and lots of glass. The outside he could see was shaped like an enormous rectangle.

"On second thought, I hear you can order things online now!" Angelo turned around attempting to leave.

"Hey hey hey hey!"

The shiny Zorua chased Angelo a short ways down the thin city street and cut him off.

"Very few other pokemon will be there!" the Buizel reasoned.

"Exactly!" Blue replied staring at Angelo. "I mean, it's not that busy this early. Usually the mall is only busy in the afternoon."

"If you'd like, we could walk surrounding you if you're still feeling off."

Angelo looked up to see a Jirachi floating down to the group in spirals.

"I'll take you up on that offer." Angelo sighed smiling.

"Good." Kite smiled, "I hope you two are being polite to our guest." he studied the Buizel and shiny Zorua.

"Eh, well, he's living up to one of his bets right now." Zen smirked, "So, more polite than usual."

"Pft." Blue snorted, "Kay, just follow me. It's in the plaza."

Angelo followed close behind the trio. when they entered. He sighed in relief as he realized that they actually meant the mall was nearly empty. Most of the stores were still closed.

"Hey, Angelo." Blue turned his head, "You gotta loosen up. See, they key is-"

"Just be yourself." Blue's over-complicating things again." the Jirachi cut in.

"Fair enough, Kite. But I doubt Angelo normally walks clenching the ground like he's ready to burst running every second." Blue argued.

"How did I get to be part of boy's morning out, anyways..." the Buizel questioned.

"Plaza's right up there." Blue reported.

Angelo noticed a small crowd gathered ahead. He could still see the plaza was decorated with different artworks and its walls were lined with restaurants. The crowd was seated around the center with a gentle song playing and singing.

"Huh, I'd think that this would be a little more popular with older pokemon." Zen remarked quietly.

"It's well-known around these parts, and with a huge high school nearby a ton of pokemon come here during summer." the shiny Zorua smiled, "They're usually easy to talk to since they actually have taste."

"So they all already are taken by jocks?" Zen smirked.

"Yup." Blue nodded, "I said introduce you, not flirt with. Besides, if a guy walks up to most girls in our generation they'll just assume we're flirting."

"Oh, tricky tricky." the Buizel laughed.

"Oh, can it Zen." Blue rolled his eyes.

"It's rather respectable of you to see it this way, Blue." the Jirachi remarked.

" _So, it's looking like there's a huge problem in society then_." Angelo thought, " _Both genders getting along is important in everything. It's really really bad if they're too busy with their stereotypes to see past all the "flirting" and whatnot... This is at least a good place to start to try and understand other pokemon, though._ "

"By stars, check behind us." Kite remarked.

Angelo turned around along with the group to see a rather large amount of others following quickly behind them.

"Uhm, on rare occasions famous singers come here." Blue realized, "I didn't think about this since it's so rare. Angelo?"

The group turned to Angelo as he watched the pokemon arriving. They were all extremely loud and most looked to be teenagers.

"It's fine." Angelo nodded looking back at the group.

"Don't worry, we'll stick close." Kite assured, "Let's get closer seats."

"Besides, his fur makes him look like a gray Tangrowth." Blue smirked as they went, "I wouldn't be able to tell your species at all if I didn't know already."

"I know it's messy." Angelo rolled his eyes, "I'm not sure how to deal with it yet."

"Miss Anne can help you later today. She's quite excitable with these things." the Jirachi mentioned, "I'll ask her about it."

"She's pretty good with having different styles. I bet she'll give you something classy to suit you." Zen said.

"Found a spot." the shiny Zorua pointed.

Angelo sat with the group at a tiny circular table. They continued to chat as pokemon continued to sit down and surround them.

" _Well, the fact I can't be seen too much helps. And if I look gray, no one will question the white fur underneath. I'll have to be more open... Later._ "

"Oh, wow. So that's why!" Blue exclaimed, "It's one of the best singers, ever! Check it out!"

Angelo sat up to see a Cinccino walking peacefully and waving to screaming pokemon nearby.

"Wow, at first I thought we were unlucky, but maybe it'll be worth it." Zen said shrugging.

" _It'll be hard to talk to other pokemon like this..._ "

Angelo waited while the crowd died down. Other pokemon playing instruments were close to the Cinccino as she started to use a microphone to speak.

"Hey guys." she started, "Man, I'm kinda surprised at the crowd today here."

The Cinccino laughed happily as the crowd burst into cheers.

" _Ouch!_ " Angelo covered his ears, " _There are pokemon watching from higher floors too. Crap... Agh!_ "

"Are you good!?" Blue half-shouted.

The shiny Zorua, Buizel, and Jirachi stared at Angelo with concern as he covered his ears with a grimace.

"My hearing... Hurts. Crap." Angelo muttered.

"Just breath. You can control it." the Jirachi whispered close to Angelo's face, "Right now, you have a lot of energy roaring in your head. It's like a muscle, just stop flexing it."

"Ok..."Angelo closed his eyes and took deep breaths. The screeching started to dull as he tried to relax his ears.

"I'll go ahead and inform the research team." Kite nodded to Zen and Blue, "It's alright for us to stay here for now. Let us know if anything bothers you again, Angelo."

"Yup." Angelo nodded, "Sorry..."

"It's not your fault I dragged you here." Blue sighed.

Angelo kept breathing slowly as he could hear the song. It was much more slower paced than he imagined it would be, but he still had the remnants of a headache to pay close attention.

" _Maybe it's true, that they feel the world differently... I'm not sure how I'm supposed to control it to my advantage. It feels so wild. I didn't even realize I had tensed up my hearing like that. Could this happen to my vision to, or even smell? I wish I knew the name of the pokemon..._ "

"Are you feeling better now?" the Jirachi asked politely.

"Yah, just a bit of a headache. " Angelo muttered, "That... Really hurt."

"Does it feel like an aftereffect?" Kite asked.

"Yah." Angelo nodded, "How loud was the cheering?"

"Not that loud, I'm afraid." Kite winced, "Your face told me how well you could hear every breath, though."

"Well, I think it was a bit of a bust." Blue admitted, "As far as what we came for. It's just too many mainstream pokemon now."

"Heh, I'm sure you already have an idea to make it up later." Zen chuckled.

"Well, they're all super populated places..." the shiny Zorua sighed, "Even I find them cramped."

"What are they, anyways?" Angelo questioned curiously.

"Well... Uh, the park at midnight, I know this guy who throws parties in his mansion every night, and the Nightlight's have this one restaurant they like to go to a lot." Blue listed.

"Let's just enjoy the moment for now." Kite insisted, "Besides, this is fun."

"Hey, look!" Zen smiled, "She's going around the crowd now."

Angelo gave a huff before letting his face fall into his arms on the table.

"Just take a rest for now." Kite encouraged.

"I'm not that tired." Angelo denied, "I'm just kind of... Uhm, headache."

"Real articulate." Blue snickered.

Angelo faced up and watched the Cinccino stroll past tables away. Something seemed awkward about his vision when he watched her. He immediately felt unfocused and distant.

" _I'm so tired of all this fur being in my face..._ "

Angelo heard a normal sounding cheer when they singing ended again. He looked up again to see the Cinccino waving to the audience.

"I've got an idea." the shiny Zorua snickered approaching Angelo, "I know exactly how to set up your fur for now."

"What are you thinking?" Angelo asked tiredly.

"I'm going to set it up like how Zoroarks do a lot of the time." he smiled, "It'll keep it out of your face until we can have Anne do something with it."

"Thanks."

Angelo smiled as the shiny Zorua pulled his fur back from his face. Blue used a small golden hair tie at the end of the fur from his head to copy what Zoroarks did.

"It feels kind of awkward, but it's way better." Angelo yawned slightly, "Thanks, Blue."

Angelo opened one eye when he heard Zen snickering loudly. H e was barely holding in a loud laugh.

"What's so funny?" Angelo questioned angrily.

"You just kind of beat Blue at his own game just now." Zen muttered.

"Ah, whatever." Blue sighed, "He's had a hard-knock life."

"What are you all talking about?" Angelo looked at the group, "Is something wrong?"

The Jirachi and Buizel kept holding back laughter as the shiny Zorua simply rolled his eyes and smiled softly.

 _"I feel like, if I turn around, I won't be able to turn back._ "

Angelo slowly turned his head and looked around himself.

" _Urg..._ "

Angelo turned away quickly and hid his face after making eye contact with the whole table next to him at once.

"What'd I do?" he asked quickly.

"Your appearance is simply regal." Kite complimented.

" _But I didn't do anything..._ "

Angelo set his head back down with his arms over his face as the concert continued.

" _Ugh, this is starting to feel like work. Why can't I just... Blend in._ "

"Excuse me, hello?" Angelo felt a tap on his back.

" _Oh bother..._ "

Angelo looked behind him to see a Lilligant standing beside him.

"I, uhm, where are you from?" she asked in awkward tones.

"We're all part of the N.A." Kite answered lightly.

"Yah," Angelo nodded, "We were just taking a rest this morning."

"Oh, you must be very strong then!" she complimented, "I saw that you were here before the surprise announcement. Did you come for the usual event that happens here?"

" _These questions are awfully directed at me._ " Angelo noticed, " _And she's not the only one listening for answers..._ "

"Uh, yah." Angelo sweat dropped, "Blue comes here sometimes." he gestured.

"Afraid I'm just a fangirl, myself," the Lilligant sighed, "Would you all care you join me and my friends at a large table nearby?"

" _It is polite for her to offer to all of us..._ " Angelo noted, " _I'm less likely to be singled out by random pokemon again, too._ "

"Attention," a voice rang out, "Hey guys."

"Oh, let's listen a moment." the Lilligant exclaimed.

"As, well," the Cinccino laughed nervously, "Most of you know, I don't show up in public very often... See, I don't like doing public shows very often. After the show today, I'm getting some practice by signing autographs. I'd be honored if you'd continue your support..." she took a slight bow.

Cheers erupted for the crowd as the Cinccino smiled with a blush.

"I haven't actually paid attention to celebrities before..." Angelo commented.

"I have friends that could talk your ears off for hours..." the Lilligant sighed smiling.

"Well, could you actually have them come here if there's room?" Zen asked politely, "See, Angelo's not feeling too well."

" _He's not wrong..._ "

"Oh, I think we can fit in here!" the Lilligant replied happily, "I'll tell them to come."

"Thanks." Angelo smiled softly.

"Y-yeah." she stuttered.

As the Lilligant turned, Angelo noticed the Buizel and Jirachi perk up.

"What's wrong?" Angelo asked quickly.

"Smoke in the distance." Blue reported seriously, "Let's go. Angelo, stay here on defense."

"Uh, ok?" Angelo responded.

"Uhm, sorry listeners." the Cinccino said, "It looks like there was incident nearby." she sweat dropped.

The crowd started to erupt in asking questions to itself.

"There's no need to panic." she assured, "We're going to be delaying the last few minutes of our performance here due to a nearby robbery. Police and the N.A. are already reporting in, so again, there's no need to worry."

" _What's nearby..._ "

Angelo held his gadget underneath the table. He clicked on the tab reading map and observed it. He immediately saw a red label near his location. He tapped on it for red text to appear.

" _Large scale battle outbreak... It looks like it's in another part of the mall. It's not that far, and there are tons of pokemon here._ " Angelo looked up putting his gadget back into the fur of his neck, " _Defense is best made by barricading the way here. If they get in here, it's chaos._ "

Angelo stalked away from the table and went through the crowd quickly. The crowd started to thin out as he approached the hallway closest to the red point. It was an extremely large path with multiple floors, but Angelo immediately noticed a mob of pokemon approaching from off in the distance.

" _I can't hold long at all myself._ " Angelo winced.

Angelo pulled out his gadget quickly and tapped the SOS button. He put it back in the fur of his neck.

"Young man," a Levanny approached, "It's dangerous here."

"I am aware." Angelo replied.

Angelo turned to the Levanny to find him staring surprised.

"I can fight too!"

Angelo and the Levanny looked suddenly to the Cinccino who was dashing towards them on all fours.

"Ok, listen." the Levanny insisted loudly, "I get you both want to help, but let us officers handle this situation. These are dangerous crooks rampaging through here."

"N.A. confirms it's a thieving spree." a Hitmonlee approached, "They don't know about the huge amount of pokemon in the next area. You kids need to back away from this area."

"Could I show you my Nightlight gadget quickly?" Angelo asked the Levanny.

"Alright." the Levanny nodded, "Gold rank or above."

" _I'm not sure what this counts for... But I'll give it a try._ "

Angelo revealed the end of his necklace and angled himself so only the Levanny could see it.

"Erg!" the Levanny caught a catch in his throat, "You're, uhm. You're set."

"But what about me!?" the Cinccino asked quickly, "I'm a known tourney fighter!"

"The circumstances are different, miss!" the Hitmonlee replied, "Let us authorities handle this."

"The thing is," Angelo interjected, "In tourneys, everyone plays fair."

Angelo turned back to see pokemon also racing along the sides of higher levels and entering the stores.

"They will not play this game fairly, and neither will we."

Angelo arms lit up as he bent lowly building up energy.

"I'm going to try and limit the collateral damage to a small area." Angelo told, "Do I have your permission to cut off the top floors?"

"Yeah." the Levanny nodded, "If you can, young man. We're completely undermanned up there and we don't want them reaching the crowd. Do it at any cost."

Angelo nodded and prepared a trump card attack in each of his hands. They lit up brightly before he threw them upwards with a flicking motion. They each flew to the thinner hallways up above and exploded in a vibrant white light for a split second before causing rubble and dust to fall. Angelo quickly looked behind him to see the Levanny, Hitmonlee, and a Alakazam staring surprised.

" _It wasn't that big..._ "

The shining debris of the floor combined with the glass that served as the side of the hallways as if fell to the ground.

"Try to make a barricade quickly with the rubble. It's too sharp to stand on it for high ground. Scatter it on the ground to slow them down."

"Aye." the Alakazam nodded, "Good plan."

"You stay here as a last line." Angelo nodded to the Cinccino, "I respect any of sort of fighter to defend others."

"Got it." she smiled brightly.

Angelo looked back up to the higher levels. Pokemon were stuck in their feet distraught by the hallways being torn down.

"We've got reinforcements from the rear." the Hitmonlee reported, "Many reinforcements. Nightlight agents."

"Alright!" the Levanny smiled, "Hey, if you could get back, it would be appreciated. If you get hurt, it's on my head." the Levanny whispered to Angelo.

"Understandable." Angelo replied, "I will wait back there."

As Angelo backed away, he noticed very quick pokemon passing him on both sides. They were all highly aggressive and were already throwing attacks into the distance.

" _Those pokemon are quite done for._ " Angelo sweat dropped.

"Hey, you there." Angelo's shoulder was tapped. He jumped slightly seeing the Cinccino.

"Yes?" he winced.

"I saw your gadget." she smirked, "I'm actually part of the team, too."

Angelo blinked.

"Uh, sorry to be sudden." she apologized quickly, "My name is Hannah. Good to meet you." she nodded.

"Uh, same." Angelo nodded.

" _A famous singer being in the Angel branch? They really are weird... Or, well, we._ "

"That trap you made really sealed the win." she complimented, "Let's keep focused."

"Ok." Angelo smiled lightly back.

" _Why does it feel like everyone in the world is so long-winded right now..._ "

Angelo went back to paying attention to the scene in front of him. He found it hard to assess due to the bodies of the pokemon attacking blocking his view.

" _They probably thought they could get away with it at such an early hour. Why are the thieves so aggressive too, though..._ "

The pokemon were beginning to use defensive moves as the thieves continued to attempt an advance.

"They're a rowdy crowd." the Ccincino frowned, "Not catching goons like these makes us look bad. It's why they get brave on us."

"Looks like they've gotten stronger too." Angelo pointed.

"What is it?" she asked seriously.

"You can't feel it?" Angelo asked, "There's a Snorlax stomping toward them. It's just driving straight for the barricade from the other end of the mall."

"Uhm, I couldn't hear a Wailord skydiving from the other end of the mall..." the Cinccino sweat dropped, "And my ears are huge."

" _They are huge..._ " Angelo silently agreed, " _But I can't question my hearing now, even if it is being weird._ "

"Everyone, focus on em!" a Sceptile called out, "Don't let that one close!"

Suddenly, a small focus blast skimmed to Sceptile's face. Screams erupted as it spiraled into into the ceiling sending small debris slowly falling into the crowd behind them. They began to panic not knowing the cause.

" _Officers aren't equipped to handle attacks like that._ " Angelo winced, " _Where are the respondents to the SOS I sent?_ "

The officers backed away as a mean-spirited Snorlax stomped slowly down the path. Angelo could see through the new clearing that the Snorlax had broken through the rubble.

" _They aren't attacking..._ "

Anglo watched enraged as the officers stared at the Snorlax in awe. Other pokemon followed with smug expressions behind him.

"This can't happen." Angelo muttered.

"Huh?" the Cinccino stared.

"Get behind me miss." Angelo ordered.

Angelo intensified his gaze as he started to approach. Pokemon moving off to the side from the Snorlax proudly approaching gazing each pokemon he passed in the eye. Angelo approached him head on at the same pace.

Angelo glanced behind him to see how the crowd was reacting. He noticed a decent portion of them were taking videos from a distance. He continued to walk as confidently as the Snorlax.

" _He noticed now._ "

The Snorlax gave Angelo a grimace as he began to approach with intent.

"Move." he called.

Angelo didn't reply and kept on his path. The distance between him and the Snorlax closed quickly, and the Snorlax's height and apparent strength became visible.

"Out the way, kid." he chuckled, "Move it."

When Angelo simply sat in front of him, the Snorlax raised its right hand for a backhanded slap. Angelo raised his left arm over his face and tensed his right as the Snorlax waved his arm. With a hard movement, Angelo slapped back the Snorlax's arm and used his legs in punching him in the stomach. Angelo released energy to improve the blow and sent the Snorlax slightly flying in the air. Landing, he lost his balance and tripped falling backwards flailing his limbs.

The Snorlax groaned standing up with a hand on his head.

"Make me."


	21. Chapter 21

The Snorlax heaved himself back onto his feet quickly.

"I'll take care of-" a Sableye approached from behind the Snorlax.

"Idiot. Look at him." the Snorlax put out his arm stopping him.

" _This Snorlax is a bit smart. I'll take care of him first with just hitting the back of his head, and then..._ "

"Eh!?" the Sableye looked, "Yeah?"

"Don't be dense." the Snorlax huffed, "A gray and white Flareon, numb skulls! Look at how he's lookin at us!" he pointed, "It's that white star!"

Angelo held his gaze as the group observed him.

" _They're subconsciously still lacking in carefulness. Their numbers make them feel safe. I can use this to my advantage, but for a very short amount of time. I probably can only get the drop on two or three of them before they are truly alert, and this doesn't include the smarter Snorlax. If I can attack five simultaneously, that's a big drop in numbers considering there's about fifteen of them._ "

"All together, ok?" the Snorlax said.

" _With the crowd behind me, I need to fight in a powerhouse style to ensure I have all their attention._ "

"On my mark." the Snorlax visibly tensed.

" _And strike first._ "

Angelo prepared five trump card attacks around his body. He aimed them quickly and fired them separately at pokemon he thought looked unfocused. An Accelgor managed to react in time and swivel its head to avoid the card. The other four pokemon were all taken off guard and sent sprawling on the ground.

"Hrgh!" the Snorlax grunted in surprise, "Get him, now!"

" _They're on guard. I have to deal with them relentlessly or they'll pile up on me. I haven't even tried a fire type attack yet, so I have to deal with them a little bit closer to the chest._ "

The Snorlax and other grunts charged, some much faster than others. Angelo started to think faster for the Accelgor's quick attack. Angelo tensed his foot and used a sweeping kick with his back leg to catch his movements. The Accelgor was stopped in his tracks, and Angelo quickly slammed its face with a brute punch. He looked back up quickly as the Accelgor stopped moving on the ground.

" _Wow._ " Angelos' eyes widened.

The rest of the pokemon immediately backed away from their attack.

" _The Snorlax is smarter, but they're softies. I could've dealt with them myself easily. Or, they're looking up at something._ " Angelo sweat dropped.

He looked directly above him to see a Dragonite smoothly landing next to him with a huff.

"You did good." the Dragonite smiled brightly at him, "The rest is pretty much done."

Angelo looked over to see agents holding every member of the group threateningly. Most of the Nightlight agents had huge elemental advantages.

"Where did they come from!?" Angelo asked.

"We have agents all over the mall at all times, but we needed to asses the group first. They're not trained for rugged combat, so it was needed." he explained, "I was about to distract him, but I couldn't help but watch... That was good." he patted him ruggedly on the back.

"You really didn't see them as dangerous at all even though they pillaged all those shops..." Angelo muttered, "How often does crap like this happen?"

The Dragonite sighed tiredly.

"You'll find this is a day at the office. We've big problems indeed. This is one down though." he lightened his tone, "How's your energy?"

"It's , alright... You wanted to tell me stuff?" Angel recalled.

"In private." he replied quickly, "It's not good news, but not too intense all the same. Just something to keep in mind."

"I'm ready any time." Angelo reasoned.

"Well, I have to make a statement to the public following this whole mess." Lancelot sighed, "I'll be sending you off back to HQ with Blue in just a moment."

"Actually, I'm feeling a bit hyper..." Angelo muttered, "Maybe I could stick with you?"

"Hmmm..." the Dragonite held his chin.

Angelo watched Lancelot bend down and study the nearby unconscious Accelgor. He stood back upwards after checking its wounds.

"Very clean hits, minimal damage." the Dragonite commented, "You're a very clean fighter.. I Think you can handle joining me for field work."

Angelo smirked.

"Oh, sorry to get your hopes up!" the Dragonite said quickly, "It'll have to be tomorrow. I'm only here because I happened to be nearby on business. It's not a field day for me."

"It's fine." Angelo replied smiling, "Anything you'd like me to do?"

"Not in particular, but..."

The Dragonite suddenly bent down to Angelo's eye level.

"You have a small cut on your face, but..."

Lancelot tapped his arm against Angelo's face and held it up closely.

"Your blood is colored strangely. Its color is silvery, far from red." the Dragonite studied.

Angelo felt his heartbeat increase quickly.

"Uhm, am I alright!?" he asked.

"It's nothing to worry about, Angelo." Lancelot assured, "Just noticing different things. Go back to your room and rest, or you can shop in the tower. I'd prefer you stay in there for just a bit while I clear things here."

"Hey."

A Greninja approached to pair suddenly. Angelo was surprised by how close he suddenly was, being able to pat the Dragonite on the back.

"I can free up your time." the Greninja offered.

"I appreciate it, Damien. But this is especially a delicate situation. I have to keep their sense of safety." Lancelot reasoned.

"I have a game face, too." the Greninja convinced, "And you have more important things to attend to. Look at him."

The Dragonite turned slowly and looked at Angelo.

" _Is he... Avoiding eye contact?_ "

"Closer." the Greninja told.

Angelo noticed the Dragonite's blue eyes flickering while he stared. He held a shaky frown while he stared.

"He's yours, Lancelot." the Greninja said in a low voice, "Well, listen to me for a second you both."

Angelo and the Dragonite turned to the Greninja listening quietly.

"You both are quite tough thanks to your childhoods." he said, "You two are family, for life. I'm not asking for you two to hug crying given you're both tough-skinned, but I'd like to see you spend your time correctly. Who knows how much time you have, after all."

The Dragonite looked back at Angelo and sighed lowly.

"You are correct, very." he replied, "Alright. Anything you'd like to do, Angelo." the Dragonite nodded.

Angelo giggled. The Dragonite looked at him questioningly.

"Actually, I really want to fight you." Angelo showed a wide smile.

"Well geez, what did I do..." the Dragonite muttered.

"I'm trying to, well, train for something." Angelo shifted nervously, "And I could really use a pro's help."

Angelo checked back over in both directions to see the pokemon were all detained. On his other side, the crowd was being talked to by Nightlight agents.

"What exactly are you training for?" the Dragonite asked.

"Well... I just want to be a good Nightlight." Angelo said simply.

"So, you've decided that's what you want to do for now?" Lancelot smiled lightly.

Angelo nodded quickly.

"Well then, I know a good place in the tower where we can train." the Dragonite said proudly, "Sit on my shoulder. I'll take us there."

Angelo bounded up and grabbed the Dragonite's shoulders and swung his back legs over his back. He used his tail to wrap around the Dragonite's neck for balance.

"Hey, where'd that Cinccino go?" Angelo asked quietly.

"You'll see her again soon. I'm introducing you to the group tonight." the Dragonite replied, "I'll fly low."

Angelo felt fearless excitement as the Dragonite confidently took off. Although the ground appeared to be far blow them as he left the mall complex upwards, he still felt no fear of falling off.


	22. Chapter 22

Angelo went back to a fight ready stance on all fours as he started to catch his breath. The room they were in was expansive and completely plain. It had a hard and shiny black floor with the entire floor being visible at once. He learned from the Dragonite that there were six completely empty floors for battle practice in the tower for each rank.

"This floor being completely one room really made me realize the scale of this place!" Angelo called.

"Yeah, it's really liberating having the whole floor to ourselves. This floor is only for the Angel branch and miracle rank." the Dragonite replied wiping his cheek.

Angelo's joints suddenly buckled as he fell to the floor.

"I'm fine!" he said, "Sorry, I'm beat..."

"Yeah, same." the Dragonite's pose relaxed.

Angelo guessed that they had been training for a decent amount of time over an hour. Although their fighting was intense, the Dragonite simply had an edge over him.

"So, where did you learn to battle?" the Dragonite asked, "You seem to have quite a bit of training for some of the tricks you pulled."

"I actually just learned sleight of hand on my own time." Angelo smiled, "For battling, I learned from books and practice. I don't think I've ever actually had a training match without my opponent trying to almost kill me before."

The Dragonite bent down and put out it's hand. Angelo took a short moment before grabbing it ad being pulled up back to his feet.

"Oh, who was that Greninja earlier? Damien?" Angelo asked suddenly.

"He's a master rank I work with often. He's talented... Though I think you could take him." Lancelot added.

Angelo blushed and smiled.

"So, I've been wondering about your ideas on different aspects of life." the Dragonite began.

"Uhm, that seems general." Angelo replied.

"Indeed it is." Lancelot agreed, "Simply put, I want to know more about how you grew up. Anything you tell me in the future about it could be helpful."

"Well..." Angelo frowned.

"On your terms, not mine." Lancelot said in a low voice, "Would you like to hear a bit about myself?"

Angelo nodded.

"Ok. I was born in Maroon, and even finished high school there. When I was eighteen, I decided to move here." he explained, "See, I decided to move here because I wanted my job to include combat because it's my main talent, but Maroon is a very war-focused culture. The only job offers I had were all apprentices to pokemon with very bad track records. I decided to aspire to become a Nightlight agent along with my brother."

"Didn't he say he was a general?" Angelo questioned.

"He is." Lancelot nodded, "He and I lost our parents at a young age. He simply grew to have different ambitions in how to protect the world. I've been here ever since." he smiled, "See, our culture in Valor is very carefree, for better or worse. Criminals are more daring than ever thanks to complacency, so our crime rates are high thanks to little fear of the Association's actual power."

Lancelot stood back upwards and looked around the plain room. The sky was a bright blue with the exception of clouds in the leftmost window.

" _He really is smaller than most Dragonites..._ " Angelo thought, " _Maybe even two feet shorter._ "

"It's one thing to have a big base, but out in the field you simply must be better prepared than your opponents. Every criminal that escapes will do it again, and stronger. You said you wanted to be a good Nightlight, yes?"

"Yah!" Angelo replied determined.

"Well, right now you have the strength of endurance of an average master rank. That's really good..." he affirmed, "But, I see potential in you to change the tide of this fight. You see, the Nightlight Association is funded by the taxes of the people, for the people. However, it's not a required tax, so it's basically donations based on the public's confidence in us. It's eight-five percent of all residents that pay it right now, but it's falling."

" _So lower confidence in the Association is a slope with a spiked wall at the end.._." Angelo looked down thinking.

"But, think about your own role in this." he encouraged, "Someone presumed to be dead, and barely known to exist raised by bandits until he stole their hard hearts away and made them turn for the better just by being who he is." he smiled, "Someone with a lineage known to be strong and good sense of what good and evil are, and how to apply good for us. If my ears are hearing right, I hear a hero's story."

"It does sound inspirational when you put it like that." Angelo sweat dropped, "Can hardly believe it's me."

"It most certainly is you." Lancelot assured, "Feeling pokemon everywhere get depressed every time they hear about pain and hurt taking a win over someone. Now then, you clearly inherited a large level of talent from both me and your mother. With training, you could surpass me by miles in just a few years."

" _He's leading up to something..._ "

"So, right now, I want to make an offer to you." the Dragonite folded his arms, "I think you can help put the Association off of its doomsday track and put muscle behind the law again. I want you to become the Nightlight Association's Miracle rank agent."

Angelo felt his chest as it seemed like his heart paused.

 _ **Alone in the dark, a Heliolisk provided the Eevee with enough light to read a small colorful book using electricity to send light off his body.**_

 _ **"What's that last one?" the white Eevee pointed in a book.**_

 _ **"That there? Heh."**_

 _ **"That there is called the Miracle rank. That's whoever the Association would call on when the world is ending." he joked**_.

 _ **"So, they're like the boss of em?" the Eevee asked.**_

 _ **"The Nightlights have thee main bosses, one of em being a group. The Overlord rank hols emergency powers in a quick situation. The council helps in making large scale decisions and small improvements. The Miracle rank works like any other agent, with the requirement they're the best of the best. Miracle rank missions are specifically for them, when all hope is lost. A symbol."**_

"You might be aware of this, but the last Miracle rank agent quit a few months ago. It's a very demanding job, and one that's important for how confident citizens remain in our work." the Dragonite said, "So, we've been looking for potential replacements among the Angel branch. We would've considered Blue and Zen to be worthy candidates, but they already have other obligations."

"Wait, Blue and Zen?" Angelo asked, "Isn't Blue..."

"Hm?" the Dragonite thinned his eyes, "Did you find out about Blue?"

"Er, well, family resemblance." Angelo muttered nervously.

Angelo was stared at by the Dragonite and shifted uncomfortably.

"Huh." he finally said, "Sharp. Blue's true name is Aaron Valor, and Zen's full name is Zen Verity. They are indeed both inheritors to thrones."

"Just kind of, uhm, surprising. I mean, why would they be here?" Angelo asked.

"Royal heirs journey together as part of a tradition. They are going to inherit the thrones of two tightly knit kingdoms, so they simply must work together for the rest of their lives. They do different tasks together to begin early on." he explained, "Their lasting friendship has much more importance than you can realize. However, their future work means they are not suited for such a long term job elsewhere. Other Angel branch members would rather not take on such a heavy task."

"I see, but well..." Angelo winced, "Aren't I a little young for this?"

"There's no age limit." the Dragonite chuckled, "There are difficult tests, however. With your current level, it will be a matter of months." he added excitedly, "I'm not sure if this is what you want, but regardless of your answer we need a Miracle rank agent soon."

"Why do you think I can handle it instead of someone else?" Angelo asked sadly, "There's a lot of talent in the world."

"I'm not sure if it's because I'm your father, though I doubt it... But you were awe-inspiring back there." Lancelot sighed happily, "I earnestly would think you were the one meant for this, even if I had never seen you before that moment. Besides, you've earned the right to have more self-confidence." the Dragonite patted him on the back.

" _It's so weird... Being offered so much._ "

"Let's fetch some lunch?" he offered, "Then we can rest until all the members of the Angel branch are back this afternoon."

"Wait, was this what you wanted to talk about earlier?" Angelo asked.

The Dragonite's eyes snapped at Angelo's reminder.

"Oh, right." he replied, "It's quick, but still a little concerning."

"Yah?" Angelo pushed.

"That group that attacked the Association the other day trying to take you was not part of the setup to get you alone with the stone." he frowned, "And yet, they seemed aware of the stone's existence and true nature."

"But the stone's gone now." Angelo argued.

"Yes, it is. But from what we can determine," the Dragonite put a claw to Angelo's head, "It's power is right here. If a group is seeking its energy, they're seeking you now. Be on guard. I'm not sure of what exactly happened to you, but be aware showing signs of having the strength of that dragon can make you a view-able target."

"You think I have the dragon's strength?" Angelo questioned slowly.

"If the dragon wanted you gone, you would be. It clearly had a goal in mind when it approached you." the Dragonite reasoned, "White blood, white and gray fur... All unnatural. You've also lost your stutter too suddenly for it to be natural. When researching its projected effects on your body, they were all overwhelmingly positive. I'm relieved, but still have too many questions to sit on it."

Angelo looked into the Dragonite's eyes with a small guilty feeling.

" _It's totally safe to tell him, but I just... I don't know. From what I know, I think I'm just a freak now._ "

"I'm sure there's an explanation." Angelo assured, "Besides, I feel normal."

The Dragonite smirked knowingly.

"Only when your comfortable, Angelo. Let's go eat."

Angelo stood still a moment before turning around when the Dragonite walked past him.

" _Read me like a book. Incredible._ "

"You coming? I know you like sweets." he suggested.

"Oh, yah!" Angelo nearly screamed.


	23. Chapter 23

Angelo ate with Lancelot in a small restaurant. Although he was worried about being seen, the only pokemon that entered already recognized him as helpers when they attempted to subdue the dragon inside the white stone. Lancelot overall engaged in much more conversation than Angelo.

When they finished, Angelo and Lancelot returned to Angelo's new room. He forgot what led to it, but the conversation turned to books that they both had read, namely what Angelo had read before.

The conversation got slower as it continued. Sentences between them slowed to a crawl as the Dragonite simply studied his room thinking of improvements for him. Angelo laid on his bed and closed his eyes for a moment before falling asleep.

"Hey, Angelo." Angelo's shoulder was shaken slightly, "They're here. You can rest afterwards."

"Can't it wait?" Angelo complained.

"Is something wrong?" the Dragonite asked seriously.

"It hurts."

The Dragonite quickly pulled the covers off of him. He stared.

"What. When."

Angelo was shaking with his muscles completely tensed. He held his eyes shut and had his teeth clenched.

"What's wrong!? Angelo!?"

Angelo could only groan as he felt the Dragonite's voice fade away.

Angelo opened his eyes feeling warmth on his face. He squinted them quickly in response to the sun.

"Hey! Little brother! Are you alright!?"

Angelo shook his head with his limbs pushing himself off of the ground.

"That was a nasty one. Keep behind me for a bit!"

Angelo looked around himself to see a massive dusty crater. He checked around the rim to see a pokemon standing looking upwards.

" _A Keldeo!?_ "

Angelo's thoughts were interrupted by a large dark streak in the sky. Angelo followed it to see a large beast in the sky that looked like the scale of a flying mountain.

"Giratina's still getting closer!" the Keldeo reported, "We only have the supplies for six more hours too hold him and Yveltal up there. Kyurem is approaching from the ground in five hours."

" _This looks... Like the end. What is this!?_ "

"Hey!" the Keldeo yelled.

Angelo just stared at him in shock as the Keldeo bounded quickly down the crater. He was directly in front of Angelo in an instant.

"You're going to survive this. We just have to bait them all in close to me, ok?" he said.

Angelo's vision of him started to get blurry despite how close he was.

"We owe it to the world. Let's do it."

Angelo blinked to see a completely different scene. He was back in the huge hallway with paintings of pokemon on the golden shiny walls.

"You will remember bit by bit why we are fighting. Your life with him. A month or so before the winter solstice, you will remember your brother's sacrifice and reasoning." a voice sounded.

"I didn't know I had a brother." Angelo replied, "Or how that's even possible. That felt like a completely different world. The air was... Different."

"Don't fret." the voice soothed, "I suppose you're wondering about your body right now. Evolution was a great first step, but this next step requires exponential change. I'm making adjustments to optimize your body's function, and then completing the changes made to your senses. I have to apologize."

"Apologize?"

"Yes." the voice answered immediately, "I failed to realize the true scope of how intense these changes would be, and you were in pain. I forced you into a coma for the time being, seeing that you wouldn't be able to function at all if you were awake."

"How long am I going to be like this?" Angelo asked, "My dad's going to have fits of being worried. I didn't even get to explain things to him."

"Well, you do at the least appear very alive to them all. Your father is strong, and can endure. The time of this sleep is approximately two days."

A short silence passed of Angelo taking in the information.

"Well, where am I right now?" Angelo asked.

"The Nightlights put you inside of a large metal contraption filled with a breathable liquid." the voice reported, "They are being extremely careful not to influence you in any way, as they immediately noticed your body is altering itself."

"What exactly are you changing?"

"Strength, mental processes so that you can handle your new senses, among other basic things such as decreasing the oxygen needed for actions. I think you can understand why pokemon with a limited perception of how this power works would want to take it."

"Where did they even learn about it from?"

"Allow me to enlighten you." the voice offered, "You see, the traitor pokemon have scions that were taken in as well. They know of our existence, and are the main threats in our battle. You see, although the fallen Giratina is as large as what you saw in your memory, its power lies solely in one pokemon who won't be putting on a show with it. There is no simple way to find their scions, although it is a worthwhile attempt to trace the source of the information back."

"So, that means there are other pokemon like me for other Legendary pokemon?" Angelo asked.

"Yes. This may come a shock, but the members of the Angel branch possess sleeping powers of scions. You recall how your father said members of the Angel branch all have unique and unnatural talents?"

"But, they don't really have anything you said you were changing my body for." he replied, "I mean, at least not that I know of."

"They all already possess it, but it is simply dormant. The changes you are undergoing in a short time frame started at a very young age for them, so it is unrealized. You will come to learn about them in time as well."

"But, what even is your name?" Angelo backtracked nervously, "I barely know anything about you."

"I am uncertain how much you can learn about me from a name, but I am Reshiram."

Angelo started to feel sleepy and lied down on the clean floor.

" _How long has it been since I passed out? I really need to get my sense of time back..._ "

"Unfortunately, these changes will not fully unveil themselves until about two months prior to the winter solstice. I must apologize that it will not be immediately helpful, but I can assure you it's not a waste of time. Be urgent about getting stronger."


	24. Chapter 24

"Mmph?"

Angelo felt himself slowly waking up. Despite what he heard about being in a large device, he was back in his room on his bed.

" _I definitely feel like I was out for a day and a half._ "

"Hey, are you awake over there?"

Angelo recognized the Buizel's voice.

"Yah." he muttered, "In a way."

"I'll send word." he said, "How're you feeling?"

"I feel so bad, man." Angelo groaned, "It's kind of like getting double-sided by a hyper beam and guillotine attack. Y'know?"

"Uhm, I don't know. Do you!?" Zen questioned.

"Yah. Similar feeling, really. If those two weren't rather weak it could've been really bad news..." Angelo recalled, "Uhm... do you have any food?" he asked awkwardly.

"Actually, yeah." he laughed, "They figured you'd be starved, so I just have some basic stuff here that's been set for you."

"Thanks." Angelo smiled.

Angelo ate basic crackers and listened to Zen update him on where the pokemon he had met were. He fell asleep shortly after the Buizel mentioned his father being out on a mission. He woke up again to find himself alone in the room.

" _Ugh, alright. Let's get my feet on the ground. I've got to start training soon._ "

Angelo shifted and pulled to covers off of his body. He found that he was on the left side of his bed and slowly slid himself off. He went down on the ground quickly and stopped moving for a moment.

" _Just a little dizzy. It's fine, it'll wear off too. I need to... Ah... I don't even know. Let's try to go downstairs and check what the stores have. I haven't even gotten to that, yet... But how do I look?_ "

Angelo looked around the room to see a mirror against the wall on the left side. He slowly padded towards the front of the mirror.

" _Looks like someone worked on my fur while I was out..._ " Angelo studied, " _I wonder if that means I was only in that 'coma' for a short time and just asleep the rest of it. Either way, they felt comfortable about it to just have me in a bed._ "

Angelo's fur was still bushy, but much less wild than before. It was now very distinguishable he was a Flareon. The particularly long fur from his head was now contained in a single braid that fell to the side of him.

" _Checking myself now, I'm really small for a Flareon... Guess it's because of my dad..._ "

Angelo's head turned quickly to the door of his room hearing it open. The Buizel walked through with his eyes scanning the room till he saw him.

"Oh, feeling good enough to be up?" he asked politely.

"Yah. Just feeling antsy." Angelo replied, "Not sure why. Just in a hurry to get to training..."

"Oh, well..." the Buizel rubbed his own head smiling, "Lancelot told me about what he offered. To fill you in, the tests usually mirror what the Association needs to most of. I'd definitely say that means battle practice."

"I just wish I knew how far along I am, if at all." Angelo sighed.

The Buizel approached him and held out his arm.

"Follow my finger."

Angelo just nodded and used only his eyes to follow Zen's arm as he moved it. When he started to move it closer to Angelo's face, Angelo suddenly lost his balance standing still and toppled close to the floor before the Buizel caught him.

"Yeah, sorry..." Zen said pulling him up, "I kinda figured... Don't rush anything yet. If you want, I could show you stuff like breathing techniques, but just take it easy. Well, now's as good a time as any to meet the team, if you'd like." Zen smiled, "We're actually all here right now."

"Sure." Angelo nodded, "Do I look alright?"

"Oh, yeah." he exclaimed, "Of course. We'll go whenever you're ready."

Soon after, Angelo followed Zen out of the room. Zen went down an unfamiliar part of the hallway and opened a smaller door to reveal stairs going upwards.

"On this floor, you're surrounded by a bunch of high ranks agents, and they're not particularly talkative. Sorry about that." Zen apologized, "But the members of the Angel branch are all pretty socially adept."

"I'm... Not." Angelo muttered.

"Relax, they're not going to push your life story." Zen shrugged smiling, "Besides, they're all nice by my standards, and I hold them fairly high. Even Blue."

Angelo followed satisfied with his answer.

" _So, they're all scions... I wonder to which Legendary pokemon though. It's going to be impossible to tell with all of them having mysteries about them. I'm not positive it's related to the pokemon's type either._ "

The Buizel reached another door and opened it to a familiar floor. Angelo recognized the structure of the hallways.

" _So the Angel branch and Lancelot just live on the same floor. He does oversee them..._ "

"Hey, everyone." Zen called out casually, "And I brought-"

"How'd his fur turn out?" a voice sounded.

Angelo stopped walking once a Victini hovered into sight from the space in the hallway.

"Oh my. Yeeeeeees, let's go!" the Victini laughed, "It's perfect on you!"

"That's Anne..." Zen introduced awkwardly, "She did your fur. Very proud about it."

"Got a reason why not to be!?" Anne asked threateningly.

"Nope." Zen squeaked.

"The rest are being layabouts right now." the Victini said, "C'mon in."

Angelo continued to follow close behind Zen till they entered the main area. There was a semicircle couch facing a high sitting television

"I'm not being a layabout, my love, just..." a Jirachi whined.

"That's Kite." the Buizel sweat dropped, "And we overwork him. We still need more recruits that know how to do his kind of work. Anne takes the edge off his days though."

"You already know about the man, myth, and legend." a shiny Zorua lying upside down said.

"He's a a layabout." Zen said.

"Yo." a Meowstic greeted standing on the other side of the room.

"That's Blue's brother." Zen said, "He's goth."

"He means I do stealth ops." the Meowstic rolled his eyes, "I'm Marcus."

Angelo jumped back slightly at a Shaymin in Sky Forme being next to him suddenly.

"Oh, sorry. Didn't see you there." she apologized, "I'm Ariel."

" _She sounds familiar... Ugh, where on earth did she come from..._ "

"Hannah's over here sleeping." Blue reported, "Out cold. Kinda reminds me someone I know." he joked.

Angelo looked over to the far side of the couch to see a Cinccino sleeping with her feet on the back of the couch and her head hanging off. She was snoring loudly and her fur was bushy.

"Welp, time to address the elephant about the room." Zen joked, "Me, Blue, and Hannah are all fifteen. Ariel's sixteen. Kite and Marcus are eighteen, while Anne's nineteen. We're all pretty young."

"Cause we're the future, or somethin like that..." the Meowstic shook his head, "Man, I need more sleep. But it's just such a waste of time..."

" _So... Everyone here is a teenager? Three of them are also rare species. It is likely though that there are more scions out there..._ "

"Come, take a seat." Kite offered sleepily, "We were just talking about our work trip we were recently doing."

Angelo was much more comfortable because the pokemon interacted naturally rather than focus on him. He sat on the couch and quickly stopped feeling tense. He sat to the right of the Jirachi while the Cinccino was on his right a couple of feet away.

"You might've been able to tell, but the Angel branch was out of town for a bit." Blue said, "That's cause we were out on a super secret mission. It was brutal. We-"

"We were all guarding a huge convoy of just stuff for two days." the Meowstic shrugged.

"I had to take inventory..." the Jirachi's voice shook.

As if by habit, the Victini immediately flew over and gave the Jirachi a hug.

" _Is he, like, alive?_ "

"Anyways, you can take whoever you'd like on missions whenever you're feeling better." Zen explained, "It's what we do most of the time. There are plenty of cases for us to check out."

"Lancelot always working, but you can meet up with him easily." Blue interjected, "The only one who can't go out with for a while is Kite till we get those new recruits settled. Oh, and miss Charlotte wants to do stuff with you too in a while."

"You can check out the current missions on your gadget." the Victini input.

 _"Did that Jirachi fall asleep that quickly?_ " Angelo observed.

"What's that?"

Angelo looked over on the couch to see the Cinccino groaning half-awake.

"Hey, who's here?"

"You only fell asleep a couple of minutes ago." the Meowstic sassed.

"Well, scuse me princess." she countered.

The Cinccino sighed and straightened her body right side up on the couch.

"So, Angelo, your father offered to help make you the Miracle rank, yeah?" the shiny Zorua asked from the other side of the room.

Angelo winced at catching the Cinccino's gaze. She quickly sprouted a smile that made him sweat under its pressure.

"Yup." he squeaked.

"Huh, interesting." the Meowstic observed looking over Angelo from the top of the couch, "He had a certain criteria for who could be it. Gentle, tough of course, and short tempered."

" _Short tempered?_ " Angelo's eyes questioned, " _Wait, and that's a good thing?_ "

"Hi."

Angelo shivered at the voice in his ear. The Cinccino had moved over to be right next to him and looked him dead in his face.

"Hello." he muttered.

" _Craaaaap..._ "

"Hi, Angelo." she repeated.

"Hi, Hannah." Angelo greeted. The Cinccino's smile widened in response.

"Could any of you guys go for a bite?" the shiny Zorua offered excitedly, "I'm gonna head out."

"Yah." Angelo nodded after a few seconds of thought.

"Yup." the Cinccino copied.

"Zen? Marcus?" Blue offered.

"Watching the carbs." Zen sighed smiling.

"I already ate." Marcus replied.

"Coming in just a second."

Angelo waited while Blue came close next to him.

"It'll be a couple years." Blue sighed sitting.

"Oh." Angelo sweat dropped.

"Girls can take a bit longer, sure, but she's another league. How're you feeling?"

"Uhm, fine I guess." Angelo replied faking a smile.

"Follow my finger." the shiny Zorua said in monotone.

" _Craaaaaaaap..._ "

Angelo followed his finger with just his eyes. When Blue moved it close to his face, he felt dizzy again. Blue caught him and put him back on balance.

"Not too much activity for you today, alright?" Blue said concerned.

"I'll be fine." Angelo rolled his eyes.

"Why's Hannah acting so weird?" the Meowstic asked to room, "When she's not performing, she's almost always a slob."

"Don't be dense." Anne retorted.

Angelo simply listened to their conversation with little attention until the Cinccino returned. Her fur was completely cleaned and groomed and she held a confident smirk on here face.

"All set." she reported turning to Angelo, "How do I look?"

"Uhm, pretty?" Angelo answered.

"Asking or telling?" she pushed.

"Uhm, which one is the right answer?" Angelo asked nervously.

"Guuuuuys." Blue complained.

'Yeah, yeah. Let's go." she huffed.


	25. Chapter 25

Angelo went down the lonely elevator with Blue shifting awkwardly as the Cinccino continuously stared at Angelo.

" _I wonder what she's thinking..._ " Angelo wondered, " _And wants. Girls can be so discrete about what they want sometimes when it comes to guys._ "

Blue silently led the pair as Hannah continued to talk to Angelo. They were all basic questions like nicknames, but he kept answering with his full attention.

"Oh, I forgot I actually had to head out..." the shiny Zorua reminisced in front of them.

" _No, don't you dare._ " Angelo silently glared.

"Sorry, but it's actually pretty important..." Blue added sounding honest, "Following up on an investigation. Sorry to ditch you two."

"Ah, it's fine. We understand." Hannah shrugged smiling.

" _Your voice shook a little excitedly there..._ " Angelo sweat dropped.

"Alright, what're you hungry for?" Hannah asked as Blue turned around.

"Uhm, well honestly I kind of wanted an excuse to not be alone shopping..." Angelo sighed awkwardly, "Looking lost and alone attracts attention."

"I won't be too great with the attention part..." the Cinccino apologized, "I'm kinda sorta famous, but most of the attention will be on me if you don't mind. I'd love to show you around. Absolutely love it."

" _I swear, you are playing hardcore mind games. I've known about bank robberies less covert._ "

"I was actually looking for some music items..." Angelo shifted, "Like, uhm... Stereos." he whimpered.

"Oh really?" she smirked, "So you're a music lover?"

" _If you say 'love' in any form one more time..._ "

Angelo nodded.

"Great, let's' go!" she pointed.

Hannah led as Angelo followed closely on her side.

" _She's clearly not acting normally. That Meowstic wouldn't have commented if she was. But, being honest, how normally would they act around me? I'm their boss' kid, they all could just want to be on my good side and be faking it. To be honest, Blue's the only one that feels fully natural._ "

Angelo observed that Hannah was constantly being greeted by pokemon passing them. He could tell she didn't know all of them.

" _They're not even questioning me about my fur or my eyes. This is kinda great..._ "

"So, if you want a stereo, you probably want a computer too, right?" Hannah asked, "Or a radio. Or, well, something like that."

"I actually could use a computer..." Angelo replied, "But I'm not familiar with that stuff at all."

"If you tell your dad, he'll spring to get you a good one." Hannah encouraged.

Hannah went back to greeting more passing pokemon as Angel thought.

" _From the way she worded that, it sounds like my father has a decent amount of money at the least. It's hard to scale though, and I don't want to sound shallow asking questions like that. I should do some research._ "

"It's up ahead there." Hannah pointed again, "It's a music shop. They've got everything, or can at least order it."

"Seems like they have a store for everything on this floor." Angelo remarked.

"Well, all the stores in here are actually based around the main city." she explained, "These are more or less smaller versions of them that have the basics we need."

"Do you have any descriptions for the floor breakdown of the building?" Angelo asked, "I'd like to know more stuff like this."

"I could send you a list if you give me your number." she suggested.

" _Well played._ "

"Uhm, I'm still new to how it works..." Angelo muttered.

"Here, I'll show you." she offered.

Suddenly, the Cinccino reached toward Angelo and quickly grabbed the end of his necklace in the fur of his neck and pulled it out. She continued to stand close to Angelo as she worked.

"Ok, all set!" she gave a thumbs-up and brought the screen to Angelo's face, "See there's a tab called 'Find'. You can use it to send contact requests if you know someone's number."

"Thanks." Angelo nodded.

He awkwardly took back the star and hid it again in the fur of his neck. Hannah continued to lead until they were inside the store.

"Wow." Angelo remarked.

"The owner's a bit of a captain obvious." she remarked.

At every point on the wall there was either an instrument hanging or a poster. The wall's color wasn't even visible.

"Welcoooome." a Watchog called from a small desk, "Oh, hey Hannah."

Heads of pokemon around the room turned. Angelo noticed the Cinccino visibly tense up.

"Hey, Jaden." she replied casually.

Angelo walked behind the Cinccino enough so that the pokemon's gazes didn't meet him.

"Lookin for some booms." she asked the Watchog.

" _Some booms? What even?_ "

"I could show you some and put in an order." the Ribombee offered, "What are ya looking for?"

"The best of the best, put it on my account." she smirked.

" _Wait, for real..._ " Angelo stopped in his tracks looking toward her.

"Well, it's actually an obvious choice which one is the best. Want me to just go on ahead then?"

"Yeah, I'd appreciate it."

" _Even for a famous singer, that's a decent amount of money. Especially for something so frivolous. Why though?_ "

Angelo was pushed to the side slightly. Another Flareon with a confident face approached the Cinccino.

" _Just as I thought, I am small for a Flareon._ " Angelo realized, " _I'm around three-fifths of his size."_

"Hey, you're that singer, right?" the Flareon greeted.

"Oh, yeah." Hannah replied turning around, "Nice to meet you."

"Same here." he smirked, "Whatcha buying?"

Angelo continued to listen to the conversation as he skulked around the walls of the store. He checked each instrument thoroughly and tried to recall their names.

"Just ordering some stereos." Hannah shrugged.

" _Now she calls them stereos?_ " Angelo looked, " _Usually, slang is avoided when someone's uncomfortable. If he's in the building here, he's a Nightlight agent. Why does she feel off?_ "

"Oh really?" the Flareon replied, "Ever fall in love with yourself after listening to your own music?"

"No, but you seem like the type too."

" _Impressive._ "

"Not for mine. Yours was another story." the Flareon seemed to wince slightly keeping his facial expression.

" _This is depressing..._ "

Angelo continued to look around the walls as Hannah had to stop some of the other pokemon that copied the Flareon. After they left, she had much more casual conversations with others in the store. Angelo was preoccupied reading off the instrument's names to himself.

" _I never actually knew how they looked... That saxophone thing is kinda creepy looking._ "

"Hey, c'mon!" Hannah suddenly called.

Angelo turned his head and followed her out.

"Anywhere else you want to see?" she asked stretching.

"Well, I'd like to know how missions work." Angelo replied, "How they are set up and all."

"Sure." she accepted, "It's set up on the bottom floor."

Angelo started to follow at her side again. He could tell she was constantly checking on him in his peripheral vision.

"This floor seems like a park." Angelo commented shyly.

"It was designed like one." she instantly replied, "It's advertised a lot to recruit pokemon. I prefer that mall a whole lot more, though."

"It's still nice to have." Angelo remarked, "And the mall is much more crowded."

"I'm a heavy shopper." she chuckled lightly.

" _Must make more than I thought._ " Angelo sweat dropped.

Angelo followed her to the lonely elevator. No pokemon even looked at the pair as they exited back onto the first floor.

" _I hadn't really checked the first floor too much..._ " Angelo studied.

To Angelo, the whole first floor resembled the plaza of a fancy hotel. A formal looking chandelier hung over the whole floor while smaller ones continued to keep the light going throughout. The walls and floor were a metallic black just like the outside of the tower with blue veins running through them. Angelo and the Cinccino stood the side of the elevator as soon as they got off.

"See those screens on some of the black tables?" she pointed out, "You can turn them on at the desk with just a button. Let's see... Ah."

Hannah waved him on approached a lone table. She touched a point that started to glow on the table and a computer screen turned on.

"It's pretty self-explanatory from here. You can register criminals, missions, teams that you're going with temporarily or permanently... You can also report information and a mission for it will be made in the nick of time. That's actually Kite's job." Hannah winced.

"Ouch." Angelo replied, "That sounds awfully rough. Is he the only one that does it?"

"He and Lancelot share the job, but the recruits haven't arrived here yet. There used to be a lot more workers, but they got fired after some stuff." Hannah explained.

"I'm guessing they were bribed to cover up for things?" Angelo guessed.

"Wow. Uhm, yeah." the Cinccino stared impressed.

"It's kind of an obvious flaw... Uhm, no offense." Angelo quickly backtracked, "But face to face is best with serious threats, even though there do seem to be a lot of them."

"We're all annoyed by most of them at this point. We can draw connections, but not locations or names. The majority of crimes are part of these connected dots."

"How so?" Angelo asked.

Angelo pulled up the menu and read the indicators. There were zones with much higher crime rates than others.

"Any thoughts about it?" Hannah asked curiously, "It's a tough puzzle."

"The differing sizes can be due to the amount of pokemon involved in crime groups. Larger groups can keep larger territories. The groups are likely to live mostly in the city, even though that's where the least crime happens."

"Happen to know anything about them?" the Cinccino asked awkwardly.

Angelo turned and stared at the Cinccino. Her eyes shifted awkwardly away for a second.

"I see now." Angelo remarked.

"Yeah?" she replied slowly.

"Why you all act so fake around me." Angelo turned back to the screen, "I thought it was because of my father, but you all still see me as a potential criminal. That's why you were being strong-armed about acting so casual and generous earlier."

Angelo waited a few seconds for a reply, but didn't get one.

" _Tch, no way's she's not bugged."_ Angelo rolled his eyes, _"Someone else has to be listening. They wouldn't have actually been this open with me and not been keeping an eye out. My father wasn't lying before, though..."_

"Well," Angelo started, "You're going about it completely the wrong way because this place so institutional. Most of the criminals in these gangs have jobs and normal lives. Catching one doing one thing will barely do any good. If you're always rushing to catch them all as they're committing crimes, you won't create any leads or lines between the dots."

"So, what does that all mean?" Hannah asked quietly.

"It means these tiny missions suck." Angelo sweat dropped, "What the Association needs to do instead of trying to proudly stomp on individuals is use bait in these areas and track the pokemon's movements at night instead of immediately taking them. That will lead you to the group and a massive operation instead to deal with them all at once instead of this huge list of things to do."

"So, you're saying to let the pokemon walk free for a while and keep track of them?" Hannah questioned.

"You can't connect pokemon to groups and expect to find them if they're already in jail." Angelo sighed, "It only takes one leak to know important things. For example..."

Angelo quickly went through the criminal database. His eyes quickly scanned the photos until he stopped at one he only slightly recognized.

"See, 'crime' isn't some giant team. It's pokemon out for themselves against everyone else, even if they are in a group. However, groups like these always have one consistent weak point. They have to meet and coordinate somehow to pull of bigger crimes. How exactly did you find the bribed pokemon?" Angelo asked.

"Kite checked the report log and mission log side by side." she answered.

"Well, that sounds mostly lucky." Angelo commented, "But, at the very least it is a mostly good end result. Except for Kite. That's rather hard to swallow."

"Yeah." she sighed, "So, what're you checking?"

"This pokemon is in your database as under watch for a past robbery. I'm guessing the wanted list is public, yes?" Angelo asked.

"Mhm." the Cinccino nodded.

"Alright. Tell Kite to take him off the watch list and mail him an apology letter for wrongful suspicion. He has a shift at a restaurant that ends late this evening, so I will monitor him tonight."

"What makes you so sure that Lurantis is part of a group, though?" she questioned.

"He looks familiar to me, and that's enough."


	26. Chapter 26

Angelo and the Cinccino continued to talk lightly for the rest of the day until sunset. From what he could tell, she still wasn't acting completely naturally. She kept her previous attitude of trying to appear formal and impressive as the day dragged on. As it quickly got less crowded, Angelo and Hannah simply relaxed outside by a fountain near the tower as the sky tarted to turn orange. The other rising steel buildings failed to compete with the all black Nightlight tower.

"You ate a lot back there." the Cinccino remarked, "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yah." Angelo sighed, "I've been much hungrier lately is all. I think we should head out soon."

"Gotcha." she nodded, "I'll tell Kite. He set it up for us as a mission."

"Wait." Angelo said, "Tell Kite to have backup ready nearby. About five pokemon or so."

"Ok." she agreed.

" _We definitely could be outnumbered, but success or not it will serve as a wake-up call._ " Angelo heaved himself up from lying down, " _They play too clean. Public image isn't going to be that great if they aren't effective._ "

"Two blocks." Hannah pointed.

"Follow my lead." Angelo nodded, "I'm sure it'll be interesting for you to know what the reverse is like."

"Har har." she rolled her eyes smiling, "It only happened once and he got decked after."

"Well, let's make this perfect and only have to do it once." Angelo looked ahead, "If we spook him, they're not the type to hesitate just going home. They're very touchy."

"Got it." she replied in a low voice, " You take the lead."

Angelo nodded and continued to walk on the side of the well done brick streets. After the first block, he thinned his eyes to see the Lurantis in the distance walking towards them.

" _The street's too lonely. We have to be interacting to pass unnoticed._ "

Angelo waited until the Lurantis was a little bit closer before thinking of what to say.

"Seriously though, if you keep eating all those sweets you're going to, like, explode." Hannah said.

"Most pokemon are surprised I haven't shriveled up and died, so I'm not sure what you're on about." Angelo remarked, "I may look just thin on the surface, but it's kind of bad..."

"It's getting a bit better." she studied, "I'm still in shock you haven't exploded, though."

"Barber's this way, right?" Angelo pointed.

"Yeah." she nodded.

Angelo and Hannah took a sharp right as the Lurantis casually passed by them. They stopped walking forward and went to the corner after he had passed it.

"Not bad." Angelo complimented smiling.

"Wasn't born yesterday." she retorted smirking, "Alright, c'mon."

Angelo and Hannah kept their distance from the Lurantis. They kept behind him to the far right side of his vision.

"Looks like this place is pretty close to the tower." Angelo remarked quietly, "Be careful. They have to be pretty strong in some way to survive so close to it."

"Yeah, I told Kite already." Hannah agreed, "Damien's also following him, and he's a pro at that sort of thing. We also have even more backup."

 _"Even still, a block away from the Nightlight tower is unthinkable._ " Angelo frowned, " _So many strings have to be pulled for that. There are bound to be at least one traitor agent, and that won't look good._ "

Angelo and Hannah kept in pace as the Lurantis made a right.

"It's going to be close-by." Angelo whispered, "Let's get to high ground."

"Damien's got that covered." she replied quietly, "We can just wait around here. Damien's got his communications on so we can listen through our gadgets."

"So we'll just wait here on the side?" Angelo hissed, "I thought we were doing this mission."

"We are." she nodded, "Don't worry. Damien's simply the best at handling tall buildings."

"Alright." Angelo nodded respectfully, "Let's sit tight by the corner."

Angelo and the Cinccino were outside while the air turned to colder by dark. Street lights quickly came on one after another as the sun's last rays left.

"Isn't the main city usually still active at night?" Angelo questioned.

"Yeah, it is." she nodded, "Not as active on the side streets, though."

"Are the Nightlights as active?" Angelo continued.

"About three-fourths as active." she reported, "About the same this close to the tower. Hey, check your gadget."

Angelo pulled out the star necklace to see it had already lit up on its own. He could hear clear voices on the other end and had a camera view of the Lurantis.

"Looks like they're inside..." Hannah noted, "Damien has to be careful."

"Can you see what building he's in?" Angelo asked.

"This one." the Cinccino patted the corner, "Surprised it's on a main street."

"It's an apartment building." Angelo studied, "I see."

Angelo paid close attention as he heard multiple voices in the room. There conversation was completely miscellaneous up to a point.

"Where's the wranglers we ordered?" the Lurantis asked.

"Not here till next week."

"Wranglers is gangster talk for weapons." Angelo said quietly, "It's only used by a few specific groups."

"I'll tell Kite." Hannah nodded quickly, "He'll likely approve a warrant for arrest. Really good to know."

" _I don't like Damien's position he put himself in at all. Type disadvantage, too close quarters for escape..._ "

Angelo tensed noticing both pokemon suddenly not talking after the exchange. He felt the pit of his stomach fall.

"I'm going in." Angelo said.

"What? Why?" Hannah blurted.

"Too quiet too quick." Angelo said, "It's not normal."

"Just be careful." Hannah warned, "Nightlights will storm in once we have a warrant. You have to be quiet till then unless it's necessary."

"Understood." Angelo nodded.

Angelo skulked to the front door of the building and entered carefully. The fragile door creaked open to show the lobby of the apartment. The inside appeared to be slightly messy with papers scattered near the desk and unkempt tables.

" _They must be higher up. I have to look till I hear noise._ "

Angelo continued to move quietly up the ramps to the next floor.

" _Oi!?_ "

A loud crash followed by further noise sent Angelo running up to the floor. The carpets of the hallways were worn and held a lacking green color.

As Angelo ran, the noise quickly stopped.

" _He must have been completely overrun. I have to buy time. Things will get dicey if I let them breathe."_

Angelo immediately pinned down which door the noise had come from. He unhesitatingly flew into the door with a resounding jumping kick. The door slammed against the wall and he quickly glanced across the room to see turning eyes from the right end of it.

" _Don't let them breathe._ "

Angelo hooked his upper body to the ground with his arms before slinging the door at the group with his leg. All of the pokemon were able to duck as Angelo used his arms to send himself forward. He aimed for the center of the group seeing half of a Greninja's face.

"Another!" a pokemon called.

Angelo locked his hands to the ground again and quickly struck a Lucario and Cranidos' legs to send them falling to the floor. The other pokemon were still getting to their feet after ducking. Some of them were still turning their heads.

On instinct, Angelo grabbed the Greninja's arm, swiwning him over his back and used a flamethrower and swept his mouth from left to right to use crowd control as he backed away. He immediately noticed it wasn't enough as the pokemon started to run forward with limbs extended.

" _The outside is on the other end of that wall..._ "

Angelo removed self put limits and instinctively used a fire blast. The recoil from using it sent him flying backwards into the wall. He prevented hitting the Greninja against the wall stopping them with one of his legs. He was surprised to see a gaping hole in the wall as the dust settled in a near instant. Only a Houndour remained in the room completely dazed by the hole. A dent in the wall showed he had been slammed into it.

"Angelo, wasn't that a bit much?" the Greninja groaned on his back, "You can set me down now. In the nick of time."

Angelo set the Greninja down and quickly bounded over to the hole. Pokemon on the ground looked dazed like the Houndour. Nightlight agents started to swarm the ground quickly.

"Wait a minute." Angelo said.

Angelo noticed the Luranitis quickly bounding away.

"Don't let him escape!" Angelo roared.

Angelo fell fluidly to the ground from the second floor and landed with ease before dashing forward. He served and jumped over pokemon on the ground as he gave chase. The Lurantis quickly came into view again.

" _He's fast. I can't let him reach the populated area._ "

Angelo noticed the Lurantis running in a strict pattern as he chased. Although he was catching up, the Lurantis was running with training and an idea in mind.

" _C'mon._ "

Angelo charged his body with as much energy as he could as he ran.

" _This feels different._ " he noticed immediately.

On his next bound, he shot forward with a surprising speed. His legs stopped touching the ground for a short moment and wind pounded his ears before he landed again. He stopped using his energy and started to run normally again.

Although he found it very sudden, he kept his focus on the Lurantis now just feet away from him. They were a short moment away from reaching a large crowd in the main shopping area. Angelo jumped and smashed into the Lurantis' back making him lose his balance running. Angelo drew a trump card attack in his hand and threw it at him to force the Lurantis to fall.

With a resounding screech against the brick ground, the Lurantis used its arm to brake while spinning to face him. Angelo quickly stopped in his tracks.

"Uh." Angelo murmured.

The Lurantis quickly looked behind himself in reply to Angelo's eyes widening. A Dragonite quickly swooped in from above and slammed the Lurantis' head into the ground. Angelo pulled back surprised at his force.

The Dragonite held the Lurantis down for a short moment before heaving himself upward with a sigh.

"Have to give this group some training on speed." the Dragonite rolled his eyes, "I'm not even that disciplined on it myself."

"Uhm, you were flying pretty fast." Angelo sweat dropped.

"Well, fast enough." he smirked, "If I out-sped you, I can be satisfied."

"Hmph." Angelo squinted.

"Just pulling your leg." he chuckled, "And I saw him run off before you did."

"There are pokemon on that roof." Angelo pointed suddenly.

Angelo spoke as soon as he noticed shadows in the starlight. The Dragonite turned with a new scowl on his face. Angelo immediately noticed that they were rather large in number, but he wasn't close enough to tell their species.

Angelo was caught of guard by the Dragonite quickly moving in front of him and slapping away a long range attack. The odd move singed the ground when it made impact.

"I'll draw their fire. Go."

Angelo obeyed on instinct and began running towards the building as the Dragonite took to the air. The building was tall and appeared to be about a street's length away. Angelo immediately turned to thin spaces between buildings. He easily kept track of where he was going seeing flying attacks in the sky.

" _There's no way they were here originally for the Nightlights. They were keeping tabs on the group for some reason... With how they attacked, they can't be bounty hunters in a group that big._ "

Angelo continued to run until he hit a street corner of the building.

" _To tall to sneak up on._ " he peered, " _I have to surprise them. I could try copying the speed burst I did earlier to get in close and at least identify them. I didn't do anything fancy, just put energy into my jump._ "

Angelo darted across the street being aware they would see. He was able to avoid the attacks using the shadows they cast on the ground.

" _If I go up that building with no horizontal speed, I'll be left helpless in mid-air right in front of them. I have to travel in an arc to hit the top of the roof quickly, so that means a precisely powered jump._ "

Angelo squinted his eyes mental measuring the distance bending his legs. He jumped with the same new feeling as last time. He was able to tell how far he had jumped right as he did it.

" _Going to have to grab the ledge._ " he realized immediately.

Just seconds after, the rushed of wind died down completely as he grabbed the edge of the roof with both arms. He wasted no time pulling himself up. He immediately noticed there was only one Grovyle left on the building facing the opposite way he was.

" _He must think it would've taken me a couple minutes to get up here._ " Angelo stalked forward, " _One's better than nothing._ "

Angelo watched as the Grovyle built up a solar beam in its left hand. He took aim at sh sky as Angelo started to advance quickly.

" _Wait, no._ "

Angelo dipped his head to the side as the Grovyle fluidly spun around and sent it whizzing past his head. Angelo didn't hesitate and continued his push as the Grovyle continued an assault with energy balls. Once close, Angelo's arm met his. From the look in his eye, he could tell the Grovyle was surprised by his strength, even though Angelo was also surprised by his.

"Hmph." the Grovyle grunted and gave a little smirk before a flash of light overtook Angelo's vision. Angelo reached his arm forward to try and keep track of the Grovyle, but he ended up only grabbing thin air when the light faded.

"You alright?" the Dragonite called landing.

"Sorry..." Angelo muttered turning around, "Just gone. I've never really seen anything like it."

"Yes, well... Same here." Lancelot sighed, "I was surprised by how quickly you got up here. I wasn't prepared to fly in yet." he remarked.

"My body's energy seemed to just... Uhm, be a good ways amplified." Angelo said awkwardly, "What should I do now?"

"In situations like this, use clues to follow or check the surrounding area if you have none. After that, you can go home." Lancelot nodded, "Feel free to move around however you'd like and experiment. Just test your limits slowly."

"Oh, uhm..." Angelo's ears perked up, "Really?"

"I thought you'd be angry with all that damage..."

"That's just you're adrenaline." the Dragonite chuckled, "It wasn't that bad, and it was to an abandoned building that will have to be torn down anyways."

"I could've seriously injured even Damien with that move. I should've been smarter about it." Angelo relented.

"You may have great brute strength, but everyone is capable of harm. You demonstrated that despite this, you are fully capable of pulling back. I can't speak for the Angel branch," Lancelot sighed, "But I trust you."

 _"I think he actually might._ " Angelo's thoughts clicked, " _He's clearly acting differently around just me, but it's actually much more casual. I wonder what he's thinking._ "

"Heh, that thinking face." Lancelot smirked, "What is it?"

"How did the other members grow up?" Angelo asked, "They're all just pretty, uhm. Weird."

"I can tell you have something more specific than that." the Dragonite noticed.

"They're all super uncomfortable having me around." Angelo said nervously.

"You're not awkward at all." the Dragonite soothed, "I'm actually surprised with how mature you act. They get nervous around you because I'm strict on them as their boss." he explained, "Whenever they see you having habits or making faces similar to mine, it simply throws them off is all."

Angelo looked down remembering his interactions with them.

"If it's my turn to be honest, I'm still barely believing I'm actually talking to you as odd as it sounds. I could tell you about the other Angel branch members tonight." he offered.

"I'd, uh, like that." Angelo blushed.

"Alright." the Dragonite agreed, "I should be back in around an hour or so. Be careful looking for that Grovyle."

Angelo nodded in a agreement and looked off the side of the tower.

"Uhm, what are you doing?" Lancelot sweat dropped.

"Uhm, measuring my jump." Angelo's eyes widened, "Wait!" he exclaimed, "Uhm, I jumped up here in one leap."

"Angelo, we're about ten meters off the ground." the Dragonite sweat dropped.

"Yah, I noticed that..." Angelo scratched his cheek.

"Just, be careful..." the Dragonite sighed.

Angelo nodded again and covered himself in odd white light that sparked off of his body. He started climb down on the sides of the wall with unusual speed as he saw the Dragonite fly slowly away.

" _It's going to be near impossible to find that Grovyle, but I have to get used to this. It's like the strength I've had forever is being weird on me... Still not sure if I like it._ "


	27. Chapter 27

Angelo made his way around rooftops scanning the streets. For the time being, he was being very gentle with his jumps and avoiding going on any other tall buildings.

" _Testing my upper limits sounds dangerous. I have to find a way to do it later, maybe ask Dad._ "

Angelo found no trace of the Grovyle looking down on the lit streets. Pokemon were acting so peacefully Angelo felt nearly hypnotized when he watched them and had spikes of odd joy.

" _I wish I was down there... Maybe I can have someone go with me._ "

Angelo wiped his eyes finding them wet.

" _Focus. I've almost checked everywhere._ "

Angelo took to a higher building fluidly and looked down on the markets.

" _No go._ " Angelo sighed.

Angelo decided to watch the markets for a second. His eyes and ears scanned the market to hear the conversations.

" _I really need to ask about this place. Eh?_ "

Angelo noticed a commotion by the end of the market place. A Servine was running away from shouting pokemon carrying a bag. Angelo noticed from afar that Nightlight agents were in pursuit from the ground and air.

" _Well, I am on the good guy side now._ "

Angelo's body lit in a much duller white than usual as he followed the group. The many buildings provided Angelo very easy footing to follow. He saw the Servine become surrounded by Nightlight agents that had moved ahead of him from the air.

" _The Servine's going to fight back it looks like. I didn't realize how brave criminals have gotten over the last couple years._ "

Angelo just watched as the Servine was suppressed by continuous attacks and knocked to the ground. They quickly swarmed around the Servine as pokemon on the outside of the circle sighed in relief.

" _So that means they usually get away? Or maybe just the Servine._ "

Angelo started to look away as the situation died down. Pokemon in the market were all exchanging smiles suddenly and looked gleeful about the Servine. Pokemon clapped as the Nightlight agents bound the Servine with ropes and started to leave.

Angelo decided he wanted to ask about the Servine to see the reason for their scale of relief. He carefully climbed down the wall and walked awkwardly to the marketplace. The active buildings were filled with pokemon, but Angelo decided to stay with the outside tents on the edges of the street as he went.

"Ah, finally... My voice got tired yelling at him." a Corsola sighed, "I hope they find my stuff."

Angelo could tell from the conversation that the Corsola was the market owner of the particular tent. There were many breakable looking statues and other odd knickknacks behind him. Angelo waited for the pokemon in front of him to leave before approaching the orsola.

"Excuse me?" Angelo said.

"Oh! Yes?" the Corsola stuttered.

" _I don't look that weird..._ " Angelo spited, "Who was that Servine?" he asked.

"Oh, a really pesky thief. He always takes and dips at night around these parts, so Nightlight agents have been everywhere." the Corsola explained, "Uhm, are you that white star?" the Corsola asked quietly.

"Do I look like it?" Angelo sweat dropped. Although he didn't feel like he was being watched, he was unnerved by how the Corsola knew off the bat.

"I mean, if it were anyone." the Corsola chuckled slightly, "A Flareon with white where red should be and gray where yellow should be. It's rather, uhm, unique enough to figure out."

" _Great, this means I'm completely recognizable... Well, I had a feeling, anyways._ "

"How long has the Sevine been around?" Angelo questioned.

"About four months or so." the Corsola replied, "What do you think about the high amount of bad gangs around?"

"Well, for starters there's not a lot of them." Angelo sweat dropped, "The problems are some pokemon in particular. Does anyone know more about that Servine?"

"Well, between you and me I know of a pokemon. A Darmanitan." he whispered, "He works at the general shop one building over from the corner of Blossom Street. He's offered me some questionable deals in the past, so I usually steer clear. I've seen him with the Servine a couple times, but I was too slow calling a report every time." he said grudgingly, "Quick buggers."

" _I'd be too high profile to do this alone with how I look and rumors about me. I need to call for help on this._ "

"I think if you had a pokemon looking scruffy enough, you could do something with that." he reasoned, "Either way, he does scare the locals who live nearby. It seems like such a small problem that I've been ignored so far, though..."

"I always hated the N.A. for that." Angelo remarked. He continued seeing the Corsola's surprised face. "No problem's too small because they grow. That's why they've screwed themselves up so badly with these groups getting big."

Angelo stopped talking and watched the Corsola's reaction.

" _I probably shouldn't complain in front of a bystander, but I've always hated how they... Uh, we operate. Could be a good five times more aggressive._ "

Angelo's necklace have a single buzz.

"Ya good?" the Corsola questioned.

"Oh, it's just my gadget." Angelo chuckled slightly pulling it from the fur of his neck.

"Oh. Wow. That's, not discrete." the Corsola smiled awkwardly.

"Nope." Angelo nodded.

Angelo scrolled to see that Hannah had texted him.

" _-_-_ "

"Whoops." Angelo squeaked, "I have to go. Thanks."

"First antique's on the house for you. Come back anytime." the Corsola offered cheerily.

"Sure thing." Angelo smiled lightly.

Angelo took to the side streets as he slowly figured out how to call Hannah. He was calmed by the lighting making it harder to notice his fur's color.

"You didn't even check up with me after!" she immediately complained on answering.

"But didn't you notice me chasing someone? Oh wait," Angelo realized, "You were on the other side of the building. Sorry, I should've updated you."

"Tch. I'll just head back."

The call cut out before Angelo could respond.

" _Guess there's not much I can say there..._ "

Scrolling through his gadget, Angelo came across Charlotte in the list.

" _I still can't believe she's my aunt. Her face is round like mine, but she doesn't act anything like me. Maybe I could ask her for help with this?_ "

Angelo slowly but surely decided to call her. She picked up quickly.

"Heeeeeey. How's my only nephew I'll ever have!?" a voice asked excitedly.

" _That's, uhm, a bit dark..._ "

"What's up, honey?" she asked.

"Could you meet me by Blossom Street in half an hour?" he asked.

"Ooh, the lover's street. Did someone catch your eye, little boy?"

"No." Angelo denied softly, "There's a pokemon I want to track."

"So soon? That building explosion just got put up on the news, you know..."

"Well, then they could be off-guard." Angelo attempted to reason.

"Oh, hardly." Charlotte replied with sass, "But I'll go along with it anyways. Just not anything dangerous. I'll be there. And if anyone does catch your eye, I'll be there." she added.

"It's not that dangerous. But it is important." Angelo argued.

"Master rank Charlotte will be in charge of that, noobie. See you soon."

"Noobie? Do you even know the streets besides where Buckstars is?"

"Well, watch your tone young man!" she exclaimed, "You sure are a bit too short-tempered for my liking with how mannered you act otherwise."

"Yes, well, I've gotten my quirks over time." Angelo rolled his eyes.

"You don't have to yell for us to listen to you, Angelo. We're civilized." she bragged, "Alright, bye bye."

"Bye." Angelo replied lowly.

" _Civilized. Well, I guess that's one way of looking at it._ "

Angelo continued down the small street. He knew a quick way to Blossom Street, but immediately chose to avoid moving back through the busy shopping area.

" _I've never really thought about being short-tempered. Seems to be a general consensus too..._ "

Angelo continued to watch other pokemon interact as he went down slightly larger streets. He made sure to avoid eye contact so he wouldn't have to speak.

" _I should have asked for that Corsola's information, although it will be pretty easy to just find him again here._ "

Angelo had been this deep into the city before a good number of times. He knew the names of all the main streets that were almost always overcrowded with pokemon. Blossom Street was an extremely common place for teenagers. The shops were all focused on attracting girls, which in turn attracted the guys. Angelo usually avoided it for how talkative the pokemon were there, and how many times they commented on his fur.

He decided to wait a street or two over by a lonely light post as he sent a message to Charlotte asking where she was.

" _I'm going to be by the entrance closest to the tower in a minute or two._ " he read.

Angelo was surprised by the distance she covered and quickly went back on his way.

" _Now that I think about, this is my first time actually talking to her, well, as an Aunt. They're giving me an awful lot of freedom in all this..._ "

Angelo turned the corner onto Blossom Street to see it busier than he ever had before. He was impressed there wasn't an eruption of yelling with all the pokemon constantly bumping into each other. He noticed the Leafeon waiting on the other corner of the street by another light post. He approached her easily with the crowd being very thin until deeper into the street.

"Oh, why hello!" Charlotte noticed, "How are you?"

"Good. Yourself?" Angelo asked.

"Well, I'm doing fine, young man. See, isn't this better?" she pointed out.

"I've learned not to reply to sarcasm..." Angelo replied, "There's a suspicious pokemon who works in a general store on this street. I'd like to get information on him."

"And what's your reason for being suspicious of him?" she questioned.

"Well, what other pokemon say. I also know that there are two groups in this area..." he added.

"Oh, Angelo." the Leafeon chuckled, "They're not even done at the apartment building yet. It's still fresh it really so important that we move in tonight?"

"These groups always meet on nights like this, even if it's for a little while. Even if we don't do much, it's worth it." Angelo argued, "Besides, it's not that dangerous unless we make it that way."

"Well, I'll have you wait here." the Leafeon ordered, "What would you like me to do?"

"Just smooth talk the Darmanitan and see what he's up to." Angelo suggested, "Nothing much other than that, for now."

"Oh, I see why you wanted me for this. A fourteen year old boy looking like you is a bit funky for stuff like this..." Charlotte thought aloud.

"No kidding?" Angelo sassed.

"I don't what you've been told, sweetie, but it's very beautiful." she smiled, "I really hope you realize that. Anyways, I know what shop you're talking about. I'll get right to it."

The Leafeon gave a short wave before walking slowly into the crowd.

" _I suppose I could look here for that Grovyle._ " Angelo turned away thinking, " _It makes sense as a place to run to... But that obviously means that dad probably already checked. No harm in trying._ "

Angelo slowly staked forward to the edge of the crowd and slowly made his way inside. He found that a number of pokemon moved away from him slightly if they saw him.

" _Let's think for a second. This crowd's pretty focused on how other pokemon look, obviously. Would that Grovyle really blend in here? He's in his mid to upper thirties from the looks of it. Most of this crowd is older teens and young adults. This could be a good last resort, but he has plenty of resources with how many other pokemon we saw up there. This is prolly a waste of time..._ "

Angelo looked to his left and right to see a few groups of pokemon glancing at him.

" _Dang it._ " he grunted, " _Just stop looking at me, wretches._ "

Angelo peeked into buildings to find nothing of interest. He was forced constantly to glide his eyes past other pokemon's. He started to realize the lights made his fur shine luminously when he looked at his reflection in windows.

" _It never was this bright before I evolved. Alright, it is really eye-catching I'll admit..._ "

Angelo started to stare in a window where his reflection was much easier to see. The overall tone he gave off was similar to the moon. His eyes fluttered realizing that a Braixen sitting inside was looking back at him.

" _Ah, whoops._ "

Angelo looked away slowly feigning ignorance.

" _Thirty seconds in and I feel like my fur is a wanted poster. This was not worth it..._ "

Angelo slowly turned around to walk back where he came from. He noticed a few eyes turning away from him. He quickly walked back to the end of the street and around the corner out of sight. He was about to pull out his gadget when he received a tap on the shoulder.

Angelo turned alarmingly to see the Leafeon.

"Oh." he sighed.

"Sorry," Charlotte apologized quickly, "The Darmanitan is a creepy one, but he's clean. Not surprised about him being called in, though."

"Well, thanks Auntie." Angelo sighed.

"You look pale." she commented, "Did you go on Blossom Street?"

"Yah." Angelo nodded after a huff.

"Mmm. Welp, time for some social training." she snickered.

"Seriously, anywhere else." Angelo complained.

"Oh, relax yourself." the Leafeon rolled her eyes, "We'll do it another time. I have some gear to show you. You owe me a favor one way or another."

"How is social training a favor to you?" Angelo asked angrily.

'It's an amusing way to pass the time. I need to get out there a little more myself..." she realized, "Seems imperative for the both of us."

"Let's just get out of here..." Angelo sighed tiredly.

"Alright, alright."


	28. Chapter 28

The Leafeon walked with Angelo casually back to the Nightlight tower. In the elevator, Angelo noticed how Charlotte had to scan her gadget into the elevator.

"Who else works with you?" Angelo asked.

""Just me, now. Are you interested in the sciences?" she asked excitedly.

"I only know very practical things. The highest level thing I know is in math..." Angelo replied shyly.

"Math is half the battle." she rolled her eyes, "Well, let me know if you're bored anyways."

The doors opened slowly to unsheathe a whole bizarre looking floor. Plants lined the far side of the windows with the whole floor being visible at once. Other plants were scattered around the floor mixing awkwardly with the differing computers near each. The floor was inviting with the night sky visible from everywhere and dull lights.

"You have a whole floor to yourself?" Angelo realized.

"I'm the brain and brawn of our research department." Charlotte smiled proudly, "So I get a lot of birthday presents."

"But what do you study with all of this?" Angelo's eyes scanned as they left the elevator, "Looks like a huge variety."

"It's actually all the same thing. Bio-energy. It's just what keeps our hearts beating is all, nothing major." she snickered.

"Uhm..." Angelo sweat dropped.

"We all have a base level of bio-energy that we maintain by, well, eating." she smirked, "But it is the exact same energy that we use in moves and the like. Your mother was a huge help in my study of it, but my research for making new gadgets and gizmos went to a crawl when she left us."

"So, you want my help with all of this?" Angelo questioned.

"Well, it'd help you and me." she reasoned, "As you probably know, weapons like blast wands among other things require bio-energy to operate. It is really a baseline for how much power a pokemon has. The more I make, the more I can learn about what happened to you in depth."

"I mean, why were me and my mother different from anyone else, though?" Angelo shook his head wondering.

"Your mother had a famous amount of bio-energy. Your mother marrying Lancelot, who's known for a good amount too, made you a beast like I've never seen before." she shrugged, "Besides, I want some of your time to myself if you don't mind. You haven't talked to me in so long."

"Uhm, ok."

"Should I laugh, or..."

"Alright, it's getting late. Are you heading back to your room?" she asked.

"Uh, yah. I could use some sleep." Angelo agreed quickly, "Uhm, if that's alright."

"Go get some rest, and a little extra for me." she chuckled.

Angelo immediately fell into and out of sleep when he went to his room. He woke up at around ten in the morning, but got out of his bed thirty minutes later.

"I should probably keep track of what day it is so I know how much time I have..." Angelo stared at his clock, "Eh, maybe when it's Autumn..."

Angelo blinked and stuttered his thinking when he felt a slight pang of dizziness. His vision had a different feel to it than it usually did.

"Calm down." he closed his eyes, "Like flexing a muscle..."

Angelo opened his eyes at the clock to feel relieved that he felt normal.

"Maybe it's more like a muscle than I thought... If I practice it, it could be more than just a headache..."

Angelo looked around his room and found his Nightlight gadget just next to his computer and clock. He checked it for notifications and found none. He looked at his door wondering what to do, and saw a large box overflowing with paper. Angelo approached it while undoing the plain braid of the fur on his head planning to wash it.

"Looks like they're all letters." he realized.

Angelo opened a couple and realized they were only signed to "white star" and all had been sent to Lancelot.

"I guess I'll read a couple and see what they're like..."

Angelo's eyes skipped over about eight or nine of them. Some of them were formal team offers, while others were simple welcomes. From the writing, he could tell none of them knew what species he was, where he is, or what he was doing. He was surprised and impressed at the same time.

"My fur being in my face isn't bothering me. I wonder what other styles I could try... I'll check after I wash it."

Angelo used his gadget and sent a message to Lancelot.

"Where can I wash my fur?"

Angelo waited and kept reading letters until he got a reply.

"There is a beauty parlor on the second floor. If you don't feel comfortable yet, ask Anne." Angelo read.

Angelo rolled his eyes back and forth thinking. He was still on edge thinking about yesterday.

"I'll just do it myself. I do want to check for stuff downstairs, though..."

Angelo's gadget blinked to life. His eyes scanned it quickly to find a message from Kite.

"Angel branch meeting in five minutes." Angelo read.

"Wait, they're going to see my messy fur down. I haven't even done my morning stretches yet. Ugh..."

Angelo checked the mirror to find his fur all over his body frizzled.

"It's like, ten-thirty... I am so the only one who looks messy by now..."

Angelo licked his paw and made more of his body visible before giving himself an accepting sigh.

Angelo cautiously looked both ways out of his room and followed the signs leading up. He luckily found that he didn't pass any pokemon on the way.

Angelo recognized the plain door to the Angel headquarters and opened it as slowly as possible. He heard a medium sized commotion inside. He heard Hannah and Ariel raising their voices at each other.

""You don't have to give a shout out every time you see someone that isn't a try-hard." Ariel's voice rang.

"Try-hard? I was just born like this. You're lucky I still waist my breath telling you how to do it." Hannah snorted, "You need to put on-"

"I don't need nones of your makeup, you piece of crap!" Ariel cut.

"At attention!" Lancelot's voice ordered, "No bickering, you two."

Angelo quietly sneaked to the room to find the Angel branch staring in the opposite direction at the Dragonite.

"Alright, there are matters we have to discuss for our big mission being made, courtesy of Kite." he gestured.

"Life is pain." the Jirachi said casually.

"As I've briefed a few of you, the attack on the Association earlier was very real. I see a connection in their operations and the group Angelo and I attempted to confront last night. Our only lead has led us to Cascade village to the southeast. That is all we have to work with." the Dragonite sighed, "Our investigation will be held during their week-long festival."

"Cascade?" Anne asked, "Never heard of it."

"It's that village known for only allowing women, husbands, and sons up to age thirteen inside. Most families that have sons end up moving out soon." the Jirachi explained, "Very much a tourist village. The festival allows everyone inside once every season for a week."

"The amount of pokemon that actually live there is relatively small." the Dragonite explained, "Surveillance spotted a few signs leading back there, such as the village flag, or at least something resembling it. Their festival is in a week, so take that as preparation time. We have numbers in investigators and time to deal with leads in Valor."

"Naturally, offense will lower our defense by a decent amount. We need to split our efforts evenly, and sensibly." the Jirachi smiled, "Analyzing the social environment, the women are usually swarmed with the many bachelors that go there every year. I think it is best to have myself, Zen, and Marcus leave. I can head the investigation, and Zen is adept socially. Marcus can handle physical threats, given he's the strongest member."

"Heh." the Meowstic gave a teeth filled smile.

"I agree." the Dragonite nodded, "In the mean time, me and Angelo will be continuing work here. So far, he has proven himself to be quite effective in the real world. I think it's time we open our eyes."

"So during that week, I totes got a bro to hang out with." Blue bragged, "One that isn't a delinquent."

"Har." the Meowstic replied dryly.

"I call him." the Cinccino said.

"Creep." the Sky-Forme Shaymin countered.

"Oh, like, you wouldn't. I'm surprised the thirst patrol over there hasn't tagged you." she gestured to the shiny Zorua.

"What?" the shiny Zorua looked.

"What on earth does calling me mean? Is it like dibs or something?" Angelo questioned quietly aloud. Despite being quiet, he accidentally caught the room's attention.

"Aw, dude. Sick fur." Blue broke the three second silence.

The Dragonite smirked.

"Sorry, just woke up." Angelo explained quietly, "Uhm, sorry..."

"I'll be briefing you after this in private." Lancelot looked, "One day at a time. Off you go."

The Angel branch padded behind Angelo as he began a stare down with the Dragonite.

"The council of the Association made a decision last night regarding last night. They'd like for you to continue doing what you're doing." Lancelot nodded.

"Council?" Angelo asked, "Oh, right."

"One of the three Nightlight higher-ups. Miracle rank, head, and council. Agh, feel groggy..."

"They seem awfully quick to send you out there." he remarked, "How do you feel about all of this? It's fighting the kind of pokemon you grew up with."

"I mean, I never actually liked them at all... So, I can just do anything?" Angelo asked further.

"We have standards for how we capture and handle criminals here, but as our Miracle rank in training you have freedom to incapacitate threats like the ones last night." he explained, "I'll be going with you today to show you first-hand how to operate."

"That's an awful amount of freedom for someone from where I'm from..." Angelo winced, "Even if I am your son."

The Dragonite shrugged with a smile.

"Well... What're the highest crime rate areas right now?"

"About half a mile away from here." the Dragonite answered, "Have any ideas? It's a long string of hit-and-run robberies there."

"Hit-and-run robberies." Angelo started to mutter, "Usually a group trying to survive. Picking them off one by one won't do wonders in the long term. There's few options but to trail one, but it's hard with them being so random in how they move. We need a good vantage point, but it could be obvious to avoid or make it more difficult with the distance variable. There has to be another option than that. Something that puts us close to the thief to begin with."

"You sure talk fast..." the Dragonite sweat dropped.

"I have an idea. Let's get Marcus." Angelo snapped.

"Understood." Lancelot nodded, "Where would you like for us to be?"

"I want you to get me to a tall building in the area. I'll choose from there." Angelo nodded, "Tell him to bring something shiny."

"Bait?" Lancelot questioned, "Seems rather endangering."

"You said that the Meowstic was the strongest member, right?" Angelo asked, "He should be able to be completely fine for this."

"Well, he does like to put himself on the front lines, which is how he got ahead of Kite and Anne a bit." Lancelot explained, "Let's see if he will agree or not."

The Dragonite took out a gadget and called the Meowstic back inside.

"Bro, yes."

The Dragonite and white and gray Flareon sweat dropped.

"They took my watch last week, dude. Like, ever since then, I've been at war. Let's frigin take this."


	29. Chapter 29

Angelo unconsciously kept his claws out staying on the Dragonite's back. Although he was moving relatively slowly, the wind whipping past his ears kept Angelo uneasy.

"If I can isolate the direction the robber would run in, it makes my reaction time enough to work even from a distance. These robbers always run towards a crowd, so I just have to keep track of them from up here for a while and give chase."

"So, like, you think my bait will take a while to work?" Marcus asked.

The Meowstic's question snapped Angelo back to reality. Marcus sat confidently on the Dragonite's other shoulder.

"Have plans?" Lancelot asked.

"I dunno... Movie?" Marcus suggested, "Whatcha two like?"

"Erm..." Lancelot thought.

"Romance." Angelo answered.

"Ooh, you never hit me as the type, Angelo..." Marcus snickered, "I can see it, though."

"Well, maybe later on today." Angelo sighed, "I haven't the foggiest clue about anything out now."

"Eh, romance movies are everywhere." Lancelot input, "A good one's the trick."

"Eh, it's all about standards. You'd understand this stuff better than I ever will." the Meowstic grinned, "Hey, so what's the plan for making me bait?"

"Just act like you usually do." Lancelot said, "You always look pretty out of it for some reason."

"Well, can't deny there..." Marcus replied, "I'm not putting a whole lot of money in my wallet for this though."

"It could take a few hours or minutes, which is the hardest part." Angelo pointed out, "I have to be on guard."

"I've experience with this. There's no need to worry about a failure." Lancelot said confidently, "These tactics usually prove us ineffective with how difficult pokemon like them are to track down."

"There are a ton of simple and complex strategies that have been used all the same for years." Angelo rolled his eyes, "It won't be an issue."

"Should've taken a notebook." Marcus snickered.

The Dragonite dropped the Meowstic and Angelo on a rooftop overlooking a large area with a fountain. Marcus gave Angelo a short smirk and wave before hopping down fluently. Lancelot started to fly higher and started to become a smaller and smaller spec in the sky.

"Can he really see what's going on from that height? Huh."

Angelo turned his attention downward to see the Meowstic walking to the edge of the crowd.

"This is weird. He walks like he's part of the ghetto, even though he's supposedly a prince. I think I might be overestimating just how connected those two are to the king. He clearly has years of being on the street. Then again, there are a ton of secrets around how they operate."

Angelo watched as Marcus continued to give off the impression they wanted. His movements were purposefully sluggish and he winked at passing female pokemon moving past. They all gave him awkward looks.

"The crowd is a lot easier to see through from up here. I can handle this."

Angelo watched as Marcus staggered around aimlessly. Only a few minutes after starting, Angelo noticed a Flaaffy bump into him.

"Alright, that's it."

Angelo noted that the Flaaffy spoke to Marcus a little before continuing to move. He started to stretch his legs as the Flaaffy continued to move with a slight hurry in her step.

"I can't be a light show this time or I'll be easy to notice. I have to use as little energy as possible to follow her."

Angelo finished stretching and jumped down to a lower building. He felt weightless for a moment, but the sound of him hitting the roof served as a reminder.

"And I can't hit any other surface too hard."

Angelo continued to watch from the same dust covered rooftop fast the Flaaffy moved. Although it was discrete, she checked her surroundings often.

"She's decently timid about this." Angelo noticed easily, "So she's probably doing it for some other reason than stealing just for herself. I think we got it."

Angelo continued by rooftops as the Flaaffy left the larger area for smaller streets. The buildings were gradually getting smaller as they left central Valor. The Flaaffy continued to act timidly and move at a quick pace.

As she continued, she started look relieved and moved much slower. The buildings became so close together that Angelo only had to give a small leap for each one.

Finally, an Emboar approached the Flaaffy with a confident demeanor.

"Like flexing a muscle." Angelo listened.

"More stuff from this creepy looking Meowstic. Looked like he was dying..." the Flaaffy added, "Can I go now?"

"For today." the Emboar agreed, "Remember, ten o' clock sharp."

"Not saying much in public. I can't just follow one of them everywhere without a higher risk. I think the best thing to do is just interrogate and arrest the Flaaffy for being a pickpocket, and find out where it is by interrogation or searching her stuff."

Angelo watched the pair separate with them keeping their original direction. The Flaaffy immediately looked calmer after the exchange. He followed the Flaaffy down a side street until she stopped at a doorway. Angelo looked down over the side on the other end of the street.

"You there." Angelo called.

The Flaaffy's head raced around first and then up. Her eyes widened and face dropped seeing the gray and white Flareon on the cement roof. Angelo relaxed his muscles and fell fluidly to the ground with a heavy sound landing on all fours.

"Anything to say?" Angelo lifted his head.

"Uhm, w-who are you?"

"As far as your concerned right now, I'm the truth and the justice." Angelo smirked, "So what're you up to?"

"As far as your concerned, I'm the grand master of all things bad, brat." she snarled.

Angelo backed up slightly as the Flaaffy swung with a sloppy Thunderpunch. Angelo simply kicked one of her legs as she was already off balance and she fell face-first into the dirt.

"That's not how you're going to deal with me." Angelo sighed, "Just tell me."

"Tch." she snarled getting off the ground, "Like you'd know anything about dealing with the world, Nightlight."

"Oh, you don't like the tower either?" Angelo asked.

A small silence fell as the Flaaffy stood back up and backed away slightly.

"Looks so high, and... Above everything, doesn't it." Angelo frowned looking upwards, "Just like the law. But y'know, it is a big lie that we can let everyone do whatever they want. Absolute freedom never goes well. We need it, want it. But we're not sure we want it like this. That there has to be something better than a tower to stare us down everyday."

Angelo looked back straight to see the Flaaffy giving him a weird look.

"If you tell me willingly, I'll deal with them myself. As myself." Angelo offered, "And if you're smart I'll never see you again after I lost track of you."

"I thought you said absolute freedom's a lie?" the Flaaffy growled.

"I'll let the part of you that's uncomfortable with what you're doing go, if the other one dies. That's my deal." Angelo affirmed, "Well?"

The Flaaffy looked down a split second before continuing to stare at Angelo. Angelo kept a blank look on his face.

"You know, your father wouldn't do something like this." she suggested, "Don't you want to be like him?"

"Too late." Angelo shrugged, "I'm already me."

The Flaaffy grew to have wet eyes, but blinked them away rapidly.

"Under the West Bridge with a secret path. I can go?" she asked shakily.

"Stay indoors for the rest of the day so they don't see you again. You'll wake up fine." Angelo nodded, "Go on now."

Angelo watched as the Flaaffy ran to open the door and went through quickly. She closed after taking a last glance at Angelo.

"I could definitely tell she'd agree from how she acts."

Angelo turned back around strolling down the street. He pulled out his necklace and called Lancelot before holding it closely to his ear. He got antsy not getting a response.

"Hey."

Angelo jumped at the Dragonite floating silently behind him. He gave an audible sigh.

"So, you're handling it alone then tonight?" he asked, "I won't come between how do handle your training, but I do want you safe."

"I usually do pretty well for myself against lager groups. I'll be alright on my own with backup a decent bit away." Angelo assured, "I wanted to look for some exercise equipment. Do you know anything?"

"I have everything." the Dragonite shrugged smiling, "I'll show you what I have later. You look like you could use some rest for tonight."

"Yah." Angelo agreed.

Angelo jumped on the Dragonite's arm and onto his shoulder.

"You seem to like that spot." he remarked, "Lucky I have thick skin for those claws."

"Oh, uh, sorry." Angelo realized and loosened his grip, "Where'd Marcus go?"

"He got yoohoo'd by a group of pokemon in the salon." the Dragonite replied, "Want to go anywhere before we head back?"

"Nope, all set."

Angelo felt a satisfying rush of wind as the Dragonite took off into flight with a strong jump. It quickly died down letting Angelo close his eyes with a smile.

"Simply perfect."


	30. The Watcher: Maelstrom

Apologies to disturb you, Angelo. I have knowledge to impart. I say it is very important for, and you'll see why.

While I was sleeping, I had forgotten the history I witnessed. But I'm beginning to remember more by the day. There is enough now for a story for you. Books and other forms of knowledge will not tell you these things.

A hundred, nay, two hundred years ago, pokemon were still far from technology. Verity and Valor were much more separate entities than the harmony today. It was in this world, that Melody Hannah Grace was originally born into. It is your same ally.

She was born on a creek. The moment she met the world, she almost left it. Her mother was a very evil pokemon. She served the Fallen Giratina.

Her given mission was to accelerate the Fallen Giratina's progress in manifesting a new body outside of the Distortion World. The war between Valor and Verity began as nearly harmless squabbles before meddling corrupted it to disastrous levels.

As you may know, fatalities in battles such as these are small to the singles, even with thousands upon thousands of soldiers. A pokemon's body is resilient, in many different manners. This effect was furthered even still by soldiers using weapons and fighting styles that were standardized and far from lethal.

Unfortunately, many soldiers were left on the battlefield, the Neon Plains, wounded. Most were only able to move very slowly. The atrocities committed by the Fallen Giratina's cult took place here.

Time and time again, this discrete and venomous group would attack and murder wounded soldiers, leaving no witnesses for either side.

Their venom spread for ages. Decades passed until the point two hundred years ago was reached. By miracle, the rage and battles slowly began to end. Melody was born into this evil cult, and was to be executed by blade as soon as she was born.

Father turned on mother. Before being sentenced to death for killing his own wife, Silas Grace turned the child to one of his oldest friends. A war hero, named in honor as the Twilight Hero.

One day, villagers discovered the secret of who Melody's father was, the rumor that surrounded him, and nothing more. She moved to central Valor, and sought to investigate who she was on her own, longing to know if and how her mother fell.

With this very public setting and a stroke of fate, she discovered servants of the Fallen Giratina. A talented fighter, she worked alongside a group of law enforcement and bounty hunters to bring one as a prisoner to Valor's castle.

She discovered everything, all at once. It was a possibility she had questioned and never imagined. The fires of anguish of Verity and Valor hearing these things formed the banner of the Nightlight Association, which at the time was small in number and singular in purpose: avenge.

Melody was chosen to be Lugia's successor, and inherited the Legendary pokemon's full power under the Nightlight banner. She overpowered other pokemon in the group, including those newly made.

But the efforts were all too late. The purpose of the Renegades had already been met. The grief and anguish of the kingdoms over decades allowed the Fallen Giratina to form another body the size of mountains in the material world.

After being sent down back to Earth after a charge into the sky, Melody discovered runes of the blade of evil's horror. Though it took time they did not originally own, she found Hikari and its fierce power that enhanced the power of the Lugia.

Two other scions, Zen Verity, and Aaron Blue Valor, had also proven themselves worthy in their ambitions and were chosen by the Kyogre and the Zekrom.

The Fallen Giratina's new body died.

As did the Twilight Hero in the aftermath.

Lugia began to rampage with a new battle cry.

"Every creature shall bleed for the death of the Twilight Hero!"

They quelled the Lugia, but the cost was obvious. The three scions were dying.

Celest, the scion to the Dialga, placed a blessing in retaliation. Or a curse. That the three would be destined to face the Fallen Giratina again. The trio died, but the enchantment activated again fourteen years ago and they were all born.

You, of course, know that the Fallen Giratina moves again. The trio does not. Zen, Melody, and Aaron all have new bodies that have experienced different lives. No history remembers the Fallen Giratina, only a forty-day storm. Their status as scions has been downgraded, and their abilities to draw from the powers of the Lugia, Kyogre, and Zekrom are all severely limited as time draws closer.

I encourage you to continue to bolster their heroes' spirits. If they were to reach their status as scions again...

Well, you chances would be higher than none.

Fear the enemy the trio died before defeating, for time cannot end his life.

Seek out Celest with your heart, for it bears the same scars as yours.

May the light be ever in your favor, Angelo.


	31. Chapter 30

Angelo woke up from a nap still in his bed. He had a vivid dream and reviewed it over in his head immediately so he wouldn't forget.

"If the Reshiram can remember details like that, it could know a ton of more things no one else does. I've got to write it down..."

Angelo searched through his gadget necklace to see he had a notes page. He quickly picked up on how to use it and quickly wrote down the basics of the dream. He finished and put the necklace back in the fur of his neck yawning. He rubbed his eyes and opened them widely.

"Eh?" Angelo grunted.

Angelo's memory snapped back seeing a giant stereo against the wall under the television in his room.

"Oh, yah. I do need to thank her later. It's going on six already, geez... I guess I better get ready..."

Angelo slowly crawled out of his bed and felt an empty stomach standing up. He reached for his gadget again and scrolled through message options hoping to eat with someone else.

"Wait, there's a group chat..."

Angelo blinked reading the messages to see it was very casual. He didn't see a single comment about missions or anything related to them.

"Seems like they're bonded far beyond as a work group. No wonder I feel a little awkward being in there."

Angelo's head turned when he heard his door open. A Dragonite walked forward with a smile.

"Oh, hey dad." Angelo greeted.

"Hey." he huffed, "I actually just came up to wake you so you could eat and have time for your food settle. I also could use a break..."

"Sure." Angelo smiled, "Anywhere you want."

"Hmph. I'll go someplace filling." he suggested.

"I'm not that bad off..." Angelo hissed.

"Muscle is made of food, you know..." Lancelot smirked, "C'mon then."

"Hmph."

Lancelot led Angelo downstairs to a small restaurant with huge portions. Although it looked a tiny bit dirty, Angelo noted that they had high standards for how they were preparing food. There kitchen was open past the counter so anyone could look in. Angelo sat the whole time while the Dragonite ordered before sitting down.

Angelo took his advice on what to eat with a grain of salt. They talked over what their favorite foods were, but Angelo revealed he was far from having them very often. Lancelot listed the favorite foods that were in the tower, which were most of them.

"I'm happy we have maple candy if that's your absolute favorite." he chuckled, "I was honestly a bit worried."

"I don't know what kind of weird favorite pick you thought I had so that it wouldn't be in here." Angelo joked, "This place is huge with choices."

"We try our best, but you'd be surprised how many complaints we get." he sighed.

"Well, I'm stuffed." Angelo winced, "Sorry I didn't eat that much of it."

"I wanted to gauge it, anyways." Lancelot shrugged, "Charlotte has some equipment to send you off with."

"Equipment?" Angelo asked.

"She made a set specialized to help you tonight and be very lightweight. Although I trust you, me and a few members of the Angels will be up above in case of emergency. We're letting you deal with this how you see fit." Lancelot affirmed.

"Kinda seems fishy you're letting a fourteen year old deal with a gang however I want to." Angelo commented.

"Well, I do want to assess your abilities in a real world setting." Lancelot reasoned, "Just don't know why you insist on it being some of the highest danger levels... I'm only allowing it with the combination of your confidence and high safety measures. Even still, it's a risk."

"Well, I think it'll be worth it. Besides, from how the Flaaffy tried to punch me, they can't be too hardcore or anything..." Angelo reasoned.

"I've thought about that too." Lancelot nodded, "And I agree. Well, are you all set?"

"Yah."

Angelo and Lancelot headed to Charlotte's lab with the elevator. The Association was far from busy at this hour, but they still received a few stares. The pokemon in the elevator left on lower floors as they continued.

Angelo was lightly surprised to see Charlotte's lab still dark with her not inside.

"I forgot she was getting much needed sleep." the Dragonite sighed, "Agh..."

"I mean, I will be fine without them too. I have enough power, even without that much stuff to use it with." Angelo argued.

"I was just concerned with the whole strategy." he sighed, "You've enough power, but haven't learned any real fire type attacks. Relying on close combat with a large group is a large variable."

"I know other moves that will suffice." Angelo said confidently, "It's going to be close quarters, anyway... Oh, and I've been meaning to ask. How were you watching me earlier?"

"Just from up above." Lancelot said, "You were preoccupied enough for you to not notice."

"Yah, but I should look out better still..." Angelo sighed, "Well, I'll go ahead and walk there. I'd like to see them all go in so we have tabs on them."

"We'll be behind you in fifteen or so." Lancelot smiled, "I'll be in here for a few minutes. See you soon."

"Yah, see you."

Angelo went back into the elevator and had a straight ride down to the first floor. He was annoyed to see it busier than usual, but was able to leave the second he arrived. Pokemon around him were too busy to take notice of him.

There were many less pokemon outside. Angelo blinked seeing the landscape completely differently.

"It's like a plaza. Huh."

Angelo kept walking still looking around to his left and right. It was just after sunset with the street lights turning on one after another around him.

"I'm surprised the pickpockets work this far in and meet so far out. Makes sense, though. Maybe working in the inner city can lead to groups outside of it too. It's actually a bit more likely."

Angelo felt familiarity while taking the path to the bridge. He continued on the streets hardly recognizing a single landmark at first glance. Without a ton of other pokemon, it always took him a moment to remember the placement of the buildings.

"Oh, right."

Angelo's memory clicked when he saw an off-limits building with a gaping hole in its walls. The exposed inside was charred a dark black.

"Awesooooome..."

Angelo's heart skipped a little seeing the building. He continued with a small sense of accomplishment on his face.

"I forgot how tiny the bridge was," Angelo observed, "It's all coming together, now."

The top of the bridge was lit relatively poorly, and the cement was cracked all over it. Angelo barely felt comfortable even looking at it from a distance.

"Looks like it just connects the sidewalk after this small dip in the ground. That's not enough for anything to be under. Said a secret passageway, but that makes no logical sense."

"You just had to play it that way."

Angelo pulled out his necklace and called Lancelot.

"Is something the matter?" he asked.

"Send someone to arrest that Flaaffy." Angelo sighed, "I know this trick."

"Just surprised I fell for it a little bit."

"Understood." Lancelot replied, "How would you like to change our approach?"

"Your position already will still be fine. I'm just changing my expectations..." Angelo replied, "Alright, going in."

Angelo approached the bridge and slid down the steep dirt slope underneath it. He looked underneath the bridge to see it empty.

"This place definitely stands out being around all these huge buildings. It's not a good hiding spot, but out of sight for an ambush. They could already be watching somehow. Maybe..."

Angelo focused himself to his ears on the area around him. He was barely able to hear breathing from the other side of the pillar supporting the bridge.

"How many... Three, or four. Looks like they've been waiting here. They must be very active thieves for the number of robberies."

"Hey," Angelo called, "You think anyone would notice if this bridge collapsed?"

Angelo heard their breathing slow to stops.

"Get out here. All of you." Angelo ordered.

Angelo noticed a pink limb before lightning snapped at his head from behind the pole. He moved his head slightly to the left never taking his eyes off the pole as it streamed past him.

"Every time that Flaaffy tries to hit me, it just makes me a little bit sad."

"Cut that out, it's depressing." Angelo sighed, "I'm still willing to talk it out with..." Angelo's voice trailed.

"Behind me."

Angelo dipped his head and twisted his body to look at the Emboar. He saw an arm fly over his head and the second arm in a motion to slam down on him.

Angelo sent huge energy straight off his body around him. The Emboar was blown back digging its claws into the ground to keep from flying into the air. Although it was just an instant, Angelo could tell the Emboar had much lower limits than him.

"Guh!"

Angelo turned to see the Flaaffy staring with an open mouth. Angelo noticed her staring at his side and traced her eyes to his necklace poking out of his fur a decent distance.

"Ah, we can't let you off the hook then." the Emboar chided.

"I ain't the good cop." Angelo hissed.

"That's why." the Emboar frowned.

Angelo noticed the Emboar jump high into the air and felt huge wind bristling behind him. He saw a Staravia using brave bird in a fiery tackle coming from behind him.

"They're coordinated as a group to make sure they don't hit each other, not messy crooks. If I jump to avoid the Staravia, the Emboar will crash down on me for sure."

Angelo turned halfway between the Staravia and Emboar.

"Unfortunately, neither of them have enough power behind their hits for it to matter in the end. At least concerning me."

Angelo grabbed the Staravia with energy over his arms to keep from getting hurt by the attack. He quickly shifted its momentum higher up and increased it so it hit the Emboar just before it started to fall with flames around its body.

"Really..."

Angelo dipped his body to the side and turned around halfway grabbing the Flaaffy's arm. He threw the Flaaffy over his shoulder and she rolled onto the ground in front of him onto her side.

"Ugh, freaking eyes on the back of your head!" she coughed.

The Emboar shook it's head after a hard landing and appeared to be dizzy on its feet. The Staravia flew onto the Emboar's shoulder with very little motivation on its face.

"Let's go!" the Staravia called.

Angelo gaped with a mad expression as they quickly started to run away.

"You..."

Angelo zipped after them once they went out of sight and ran after them. He was close to disbelief that they were still resisting as best they could.

"I can't let them go to the city."

Angelo was surprised that the crowds were suddenly close by as he turned a corner.

"Crap. That's it."

Angelo charged his limbs with energy and burst forward towards the group. He long jumped over the trio and landed in front of them scraping against the ground and turning around.

"What's your deal?' the Flaaffy asked angrily.

"What's yours?" Angelo bit back, "I gave you the chance of chances. Do you know how much I would have given up for one like it? From how you acted, you reminded me of me. But clearly, you haven't an ounce of intent of getting out of where you are, so where you're going is staying the same. Straight behind bars."

Angelo's veins lit up to bright white color that was bright enough to stand out from his white fur.

"That goes for every last one of you." Angelo bared his teeth, "I didn't tell anybody cause I'd be scared the Nightlights would brand me as a criminal without listening."

Angelo subconsciously started to light up his entire body as he built up energy in his chest.

"No excuses."

"Angelo!"

Angelo was startled and looked up to see a Dragonite hovering above him with his arms crossed.

"They are subdued, it's done." Lancelot ordered, "Calm yourself."

Angelo took a deep breath as the Dragonite landed just behind him. He hadn't noticed before, but his heart rate was decently higher than usual.

"You alright there?" Angelo felt Lancelot's arm on his shoulder.

"Yah, sorry." Angelo shook his head, "Just felt, uhm. Personal."

"Be careful. I can't always defend you from the crowd, and your hits are too much for a lot of pokemon." Lancelot warned seriously, "Just remember the level of what you're fighting against. These are not the bandits you grew up with."

"Yah, they're worse." Angelo spited as the light around his body faded, "Pathetic."

"We all have our pathetic . Let's go. They'll deal with the rest." Lancelot coaxed.

Angelo turned around and jumped on the Dragonite's extended arm. The Dragonite immediately took to the sky as Angelo crawled and situated himself on his shoulder. After getting comfortable, Angelo looked down to see the small crowd build where they were a moment ago.

"Sorry." Angelo shook his head, "I should of just dealt with them under the bridge quickly. I knew."

"It's impossible to be a hundred percent certain on what other pokemon really want." the Dragonite sighed, "Your methods do show promise, however, I will be helping you refine them. I think we can make an able team..."

Angelo blinked and looked at the Dragonite's eyes. Lancelot wore a confident smile staring back as he flew completely steadily.

"Yah." Angelo nodded.


	32. Just Another Day: Zen Verity

"G'morning..." a Buizel yawned.

He rubbed his eyes facing a computer monitor. Light was starting to slowly gleam into his small room. It reflected off the waters constantly maintained on his floor and leave beautiful aquatic streaks

"Dear, are you alright? You look positively beat, and it's morning!" a Milotic questioned from the other side of the screen.

"Yeah, I'm fine mom." the Buizel waved off, "I just woke up ten seconds ago when you called."

"Bah, he looks fine. Looks like you're growin good, Zen." a Serperior stuck his head in the screen and out quickly.

"Well, it's all muscle..." Zen smiled cheekily.

"They ain't payin ya for any fat." the Serperior's laughing voice chimed, "Good work, kid. What's your to-do list today?"

"Well, I'm free to work out and other stuff today. I already finished that class, so I'm all set. We don't have any new investigations that aren't being solved in a blink thanks to the wave of recruits." Zen sighed happily, "They're doing pretty alright."

"That's wonderful your done with those classes, dear!" the Milotic smiled, "Managing a country has a lot involved for you to finish learning so young. Now then, these waves of recruits usually happen once a year when high school students pick their career, yes?" the Milotic asked, "How many do you get?"

"Not that much at all." Zen frowned, "The tests are rigorous and there's no helping it. This year, we just got twenty recruits out of like, a quadruple digit number of pokemon that applied. They romanticize the jobs here a lot."

"Well, it is difficult." she nodded, "I'll leave you to it, honey. Call me later. Bye bye."

"Bye."

Zen clicked off of the computer and darkened the screen to relax his eyes.

"Let's see... What do I want to do..."

Zen had a basic rule when he chose what to do. It was his philosophy to only engage in activities beneficial to himself and those around him. He decided at a young age it was logical to avoid habits that were detrimental to anyone. Relaxing was beneficial for his own mental health, and talking was an opportunity to connect and improve along with someone else. There was nothing to be said for partying one's life away and forgetting precious time.

"Oh, duh." Zen's eyes rolled.

Zen pulled out his small and plain blue Nightlight gadget and scrolled through its menus.

"I should check in with Angelo first and foremost. Lancelot may be busy a lot, but I should step in socially."

Zen decided after a second of thinking to face-call Angelo instead of text. It was much simpler to read his reaction that way.

"Hello? Angelo?" Zen asked.

"Agh!"

Zen blinked at Angelo's completely stunted face. From what Zen could tell, he had his gadget with him in his bed.

"Oh, geez. Sorry I surprised you like that." Zen apologized, "I forgot you might not notice the face-call icon."

"It's fine." Angelo sighed.

"You sound like you'd be more worried if it was someone else..." Zen hinted mischievously.

"Uhm..." Angelo's voice shook.

"Hey, you wanna work out today? Maybe even spar some?" Zen offered, "I heard you got new speakers in your room."

"Yah, Hannah got them for me." the white and gray Flareon smiled, "I just tested them out a bit yesterday, but I didn't want to do anything too loud at night."

"Ah, looking to express your gratitude?" Zen smirked.

Angelo stunted on his own words before just staring awkwardly.

"Eheh, I can help with that too." Zen smiled reassuringly, "You want to get breakfast first?"

Angelo's eyes waved around slightly. Zen controlled a wince maintaining a steady face.

"Oh, uh, yah." Angelo nodded.

"Alright, I'll come to you in a couple minutes." the Buizel nodded, "See you."

"Alright, see you." the gray and white Flareon smiled.

Zen gave a huff after the screen on his gadget darkened.

"You're full of crap, Lancelot. This kid has issues. Articulating, keeping attention. You should freaking handcuff him to you until he's better, not just use him. Not doing anything different from those damn thugs..."

Zen shook his head and took a deep breath to stall a fire in his chest.

"I would put it out in the open if I trusted the government more than you. I'll do it myself."

Zen did small stretches in his legs before leaving his room. He opened and closed the door careful to be quiet.

"Man, Kite's a trooper. We totally need to get him a gift."

Zen continued quietly through the corridor and closed the larger door to the Angel branch headquarters behind him. He continued through the lonely hallways at a casual pace. He knocked on Angelo's door twice.

"Coming!" Angelo replied.

Zen waited with complete patience until Angelo arrived at the door. Zen noticed that his gray fur was much less messy than it was a few moments ago, but the fur all over his body was still frizzed.

"Hey," Zen greeted, "Whenever you're ready."

"I just can't get my fur clean..." Angelo complained, "I mean, well... Not frizzed all the time."

"I think it could be your style." Zen smirked, "It looks pretty cool, and kind of wild."

"Well, however it is others just stare at it all the time..." Angelo spited.

"On the bright side, it's Sunday." Zen pointed out,"So today's the day it will happen the least. It's way less hectic. Most teenagers are practically dying at this hour."

Angelo's large tail swirled in excitement while Zen was talking.

"Really hates it that bad..."

"Well, I guess my fur is fine as is for today." Angelo smiled, "Are you fine if we do an investigation?"

"Well, those to tend to be quit the workouts with how they turn sometimes..." Zen nodded, "Yeah, what would you like to do?"

"There's an investigation for this Heliolisk I knew named Jonathan. It's a tiny bit personal." Angelo admitted, "I just want to track him down."

"Well, we have a bunch of pretty high level detectives on that one." Zen sighed, "He's good. I think if you want to do something effective, it's finding more groups till we can link one to him."

"Mhrgh..." Angelo huffed, "All of the groups possible are way too strong and are far out from the tower. My strength wouldn't be able to keep up yet..."

"Maybe we could just patrol." Zen offered, "Or just take a breather like everyone else."

"Mmm..." Angelo thought, "Let's just do another mission around here. You can pick."

"Got it." Zen smiled, "Let's just eat first and I'll take the pick of a mission."

"Alright," Angelo agreed happily, "I'll follow your lead."

Zen led Angelo through a couple of stores before he was able to read a really positive reaction. They chose a store with a more market looking style and basic white seating and tables. Zen was about to start talking to Angelo while they ate, but decided to wait when Angelo started eating quickly.

"Well..." Zen wondered, "Ok, nah. He's gonna choke in a sec."

Zen reached for a cup of water and put it next to Angelo as he started to sputter a bit.

"We've got plenty of time. Do you realize when you get this hungry?" Zen asked.

Angelo sipped the water gratefully and tipped his head up a bit.

"It just sort of comes and goes..." Angelo sighed, "Sorry."

"Ah, I'm the same way sometimes." Zen waved off, "I swear I outdo my body mass sometimes. I have days when I get hungry so fast I don't go even an hour without."

"Ever since I came here, that's how I feel all the time." Angelo admitted, "I'll blow up like a balloon..."

"Please do."

"Ah, it'll just go to your muscles with how you seem to operate." Zen laughed.

"Well, guess I'll see." Angelo shrugged, "So, what do you think about the other members of the team?"

"Well, I've known them for quite a while." Zen started, "They tend to stick to their own groups, a lot of drama."

"Like what?" Angelo asked.

"Well, lemme think... Hannah and Ariel hate each other, for one. Kite and Lancelot conflict over decision making that causes division, which is made worse by the fact that everyone respects the both of them a lot." Zen murmured reminiscently, "I usually just stick with Blue and my own friends."

"Sounds rather... Complex." Angelo frowned.

"Don't worry about it at all." Zen encouraged, "Just focus on building relationships."

"Ok." Angelo pressed his lips together.

"Well, while we wait for our food to go down." Zen sweat dropped, "I could show you some of my friends."

"Yah, we have a good minute." Angelo rubbed the back of his head.

"I'll just text them to come over." Zen smiled, "They're bronze rank agents."

"Anything I should be aware not to say?" Angelo asked, "I don't want to make myself obvious."

"Ah, it's already obvious." Zen waved off, "Don't sweat a thing."

"Uhm... Ok."

Zen continued to eat at half of Angelo's pace for the next five minutes. He lightly kept tabs on the doorway when pokemon he knew walked inside looking around.

"Hey." Zen called.

"Oh, hey!" a Vaporeon replied.

A Vaporeon followed by a Ponyta and Blitzle. The Blitzle and Ponyta were talking to themselves while the Vaporeon greeted Zen.

"Hey, you guys." Zen said, "This is Angelo. He's part of our new recruits."

"Oh, Angelo?" the Ponyta asked.

"Yah. I was just showing him around." Zen nodded.

Zen could tell Angelo was a little too surprised to speak. They all stared at him quickly putting puzzle pieces together in their heads with increasingly awkward expressions.

"So, what were you guys doing up so early?" Zen questioned to break the silence.

"Oh," the Vaporeon answered slowly, "We were just, uhm, shopping."

"Oh, could we join you guys actually?" Zen's eyes lit up, "Were you just around here?"

"Yeah." the Blitzle nodded, "You guys want to come?"

Zen looked to Angelo to see his nod.

"Yeah, sure." Zen replied, "Have a seat."

"Thanks." the Vaporeon accepted. She turned to Angelo while sitting down. "My name is Karen."

"Thomas." the Blitzle greeted.

"Michael." the Ponyta finished.

"You seem pretty young to be in the N.A..." the Vaporeon observed, "Are you talented like Zen is?"

"Uh, I've still got a ways before I know that much about what the N.A. thinks about it." Angelo smiled lightly, "Just hoping I'm doing alright."

"Where do you go to school?" the Blitzle asked, "I haven't seen you before."

"I went to a small school." Angelo shrugged, "I'm from around the edges."

"He knows his stuff for making up a good story like that on the fly..." Zen applauded to himself.

"Is your fur dyed, or..." the Ponyta input.

"Oh, uhm, just natural..." Angelo answered quietly.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." the Vaporeon exclaimed, "It's awful pretty..."

"Thanks..." Angelo nodded stiffly.

"So, what were you guys looking for?" Zen intervened.

"Just a supply run." the Blitzle answered, "You feel like doing a mission with us?"

"What kind?" Zen asked, "Looking for a little exercise."

"There's this really hard lifting one, actually." the Vaporeon smiled, "It should be pretty good."

"You up for it, Angelo?" Zen asked.

"Sure!" Angelo nodded swiftly.

"Alright, meet us downstairs later. We'll handle the rest." the Vaporeon said.

"Cool." Zen agreed, "I'll text you when we're ready, Karen."

"Alright!" the Vaporeon stood, "See you guys in a bit."

Zen noticed Angelo's face lose tension when they left.

"You don't have to keep your guard up all the time." Zen commented smiling.

"Well..." Angelo sighed, "How could I not?"

"I just want you to have at least one place in this building where you're relaxed." Zen frowned, "Can you do that much?"

"Alright." Angelo agreed, "No matter what you do, it won't be in a crowd though."

"As long as it's something." Zen sighed, "It's important."

Angelo looked downwards with his eyes moving around.

"Are you all set, or..." Zen asked slowly.

"Oh, uh, yah." Angelo nodded.

Zen paid for the bill against Angelo's wishes and met up with the group downstairs.

Just as they set up, the missions was already set to immediately leave out on. They were apparently going to deliver food stores to various restaurants. Zen knew it would be horribly boring, but he did appreciate Angelo knowing what life was like for lower rank members. The difficulty coming in was much lighter, but it was more menial.

Zen only brought a tiny bag with his gadget inside while Angelo brought nothing. The group agreed to split up into two with a large gap between the groups of restaurants. Zen went with Angelo and Karen while Thomas and Michael took their own path.

The trip they had ended up being quit short. As the least active day, Sundays were perfect days for performing deliveries due to the lack of activity. Zen smiled to himself seeing Angelo appearing relaxed. All of them carried bags on their backs as they walked down the streets.

"Hey, have you two been to that new restaurant in the N.A.?" the Vaporeon asked spontaneously, "I haven't seen it yet."

"Oh yeah..." Zen remembered, "Isn't it a sweets place?"

Zen noticed Angelo's ears perk up and his face get a red blush with a small smile.

"Ok..."

"I have to work after, but you two should check it out." she suggested.

The Vaporeon and Buizel continued to talk about what the restaurant was while the group continued to walk around. Although he was quiet the gray and white Flareon listened intently.

The group kept a good pace despite the heft of the bags. Within an hour, they were already on the way to the last delivery at a quick pace.

"You guys made this go quickly." the Vaporeon thanked.

"It was fun for us, too." Zen nodded, "Right, Angelo?"

"Yah!" Angelo smiled, "A nice exercise, too."

After the last delivery, the Vaporeon split from the group going in a different direction as Angelo and Zen started to go back. The city started to get denser again as they went.

"You don't look even a little tired." Zen remarked, "I'm guessing you still want to do something else later?"

"Well..." Angelo thought, "I'm not tired, but I am sleepy."

"Ah, fair enough." Zen laughed, "The more you sleep, the better you look. Go on ahead."

"What are you going to do?" Angelo questioned.

"Something cool and dumb." Zen smirked, "I'll figure it out in a bit."

"Uhm..." Angelo sweat dropped.

Zen just laughed while Angelo stared awkwardly. They continued back to the tower base in moments.

"I'll see you later." Zen waved.

"Yah, see you."

The Buizel watched the white and gray Flareon head to the elevator before turning his attention to his gadget to check the time.

"I was hoping he'd come along, but it's not worth it. Besides, we've got this one covered ten times over."

Zen waited for five minutes until a Victini and shiny Zorua came down the elevator side by side. They approached Zen immediately.

"All set?" the shiny Zorua asked.

"Course I am, Blue." Zen answered, "You guys?"

"Good to go." the Victini nodded.

"Alright." Zen smiled, "Three crooks in the district, not a trace. Let's go."

As soon as the trio left the building, the shiny Zorua went of running while the Victini took to the skies. Zen followed under the Victini with a sudden burst of water from under his feet.

"It's hard to play it perfect doing this job. If it wasn't for the team I'd have been minced a ton of times now."

Zen shot himself onto the third story of a nearby skyscraper and stuck to the ledge. He fluidly continued to move along the ledges of the windows.

"Controlling water like I do is considered to be creepy, but it feels as natural as breathing. I don't have time to care how it looks."

Zen stared downwards at a Raticate passing below him.

"He probably doesn't realize this yet, but..."

Zen jumped off the building while a huge floating disk of water appeared below him. He went through it and lost most of his momentum from the fall landing in front of the surprised Raticate. Shining drops of water fell to the ground after.

"When it comes to this job, confidence is key." Zen smirked.


	33. The Watcher: That Legendary Explorer

It was some seventy or so years ago. A pokemon roamed the wilds in search of allies starting at a very young age. He was looking for allies when he saw a great danger.

The explorer's name was Marciel. He was a Butterfree, and the power of the Zygarde flowed through his body like a flood down the streets.

In short, his strength is comparable to yours, Angelo. Very comparable. Just like the other scions mentioned, he was forced into another life. However, he kept the same lifestyle that honed his connection to nature, and his own powers.

Unlike most scions in your time, he is completely aware of his status and role. He is also aware of the Fallen Kyurem's blizzard to the north in Maroon. He would act upon it if his type of strength was suited to the cold waist-land, but only we can stand against it.

I suggest you search for him, elusive as he is. He can show you what it means to be a scion.

I don't remember whether this memory was in recent times or seventy years ago, but it a show of his prowess at a very young age.

A lone Butterfree walked through a dense forest trail. With every small step, he had to very how much he moved his legs with the intense amount of undergrowth. He was tiny, and was slightly slower moving through.

"Miss, are you sure they were around here?" the Butterfree voiced, "It will be dark soon."

"We probably just can't see them yet." a Chikorita raised her head, "No one ever goes to this part of the forest, so it's super dense."

"I'll just fly a tiny bit and get a view." the Butterfree nodded seriously, "I have to approach carefully to keep you safe."

"I'm more scared about my parents finding us out than them with you by my side." the young Chikorita complimented.

"Let us hope that is the case." the Butterfree huffed.

Only making a slight bristling noise from the wind in his flight, the Butterfree just barely peered his eyes over.

"There's a clearing," the Butterfree whispered, "About fifteen pokemon as an estimate. I've never faced more than ten at a time..."

"I'm not going to ask you to do anything you can't do." the Chikorita sighed sadly, "You were really brave coming with me."

"Well, miss, if you only do the things you can do easily you'll never improve." the Butterfree replied confidently.

"Okay... But you're like, eight." the Chikorita sweat dropped.

"Ironic coming from you..." the Butterfree groaned, "Also, I turn nine next week."

"Just come back to the village." the Chikorita coaxed, "It's just a necklace."

"Heh, don't worry miss." the Butterfree rose above the undergrowth, "It's just another stroll through the woods for me."

The Butterfree kept just over the undergrowth and approached the group of wild looking pokemon. Without warning, the Butterfree focused a strange green energy in himself that tinted his wings green and gave himself a glow.

"Hey! What's that!?" a pokemon called.

The Butterfree fired green beams of energy from its hands at the group while flying quickly towards them. When the group had focused on defense, the Butterfree accelerated even faster and flew into kicks on their heads.

The Butterfree was forced to back away a small distance when a Tyranitar attacked flinging a stone edge attack. The Butterfree moved very slightly to avoid all attacks thrown at him and never let up.

"You're dead!"

Multiple pokemon used hyper beam focusing on the Butterfree's area. The range was too wide to avoid easily, but the Butterfree grounded himself and covered his front with his wings.

The explosion disguised the Butterfree in a puff of energy being splattered like lightning. His body was now fully revealed with the plants and growth being completely blown out of the ground.

The Butterfree remained in the same position with his unscathed wings still guarding himself.

"What!?" a Reuiniclus sharply yelled.

The Butterfree's wings slowly unfurled revealing its confident look and composure.

"Justice has no weak point." the Butterfree declared.

The green glow on the Butterfree's wings grew at an increasing rate until eventually beams of light began to row out of the cracking ground. The group of pokemon braced themselves being unable to move enough.

The ground began to throw itself apart at the move that hurdled towards the group. The pokemon covered their faces with resounding cries.

And his power only grew still. I daresay his limits are at a hundred normal opponents. With his heroic charisma, he managed to organize explorers into a league, like the guilds in the past days. When not in the borders of a nation, the lawless ruled however they liked until Marciel's team brought order to the chaos.

Marciel is already an awakened scion. Seek out his mastery for yourself, and then go beyond. He is capable of accelerating your progress.

May the light be ever in your favor.


	34. Chapter 31

Wrapped in a starry blanket, a shiny Zorua snoozed with with lightly shut eyelids. They fluttered open slowly along with his blank stare. His mind snapped awake when he thought about his agenda.

" _Oh, dad set that up for me! Right._ "

The shiny Zorua yawned and forced himself to roll out of bed and land on the floor. The shock of the impact snapped more of his senses awake.

" _Ugh, freaking... The heck do I have to do today again?_ "

Blue rolled onto his feet and yawned loudly. He looked left and right in his room until he saw the bag with his gadget inside and put it on his shoulder.

" _I have to... Uhm... Oh, crap. Right! I have to meet that guy today!_ "

Blue turned on his gadget and used the camera to check his fur. He quickly fixed his bedhead and checked his things one last time before leaving his room.

" _I might be a minute or two late, but nothing too crazy. Time to move!_ "

"Hey, where are you goin?"

Blue stopped in his tracks and turned around to see a Cinccino rubbing her eyes with a cap on.

"Oh, Hannah." Blue huffed, "I'm going out somewhere. See you later, yeah?"

Blue continued to speed-walk out of the hallway and down the way to the elevator.

He turned a corner quickly before smacking his head into something. He closed his eyes wincing.

"Owww..." a voice sighed.

Blue opened his eyes to see a gray and white Flareon rubbing its head uncomfortably.

"Agh, sorry Angelo." Blue apologized, "Just in a rush."

"You sooooo owe me maple candy later..." Angelo whined, "Owwww..."

"Will do..." Blue replied.

Blue continued to run leaving Angelo pouting. Although it easily could've been his imagination, Blue thought he heard Angelo huff a few choice words before continuing on his way.

He dashed into the large elevator and tapped his foot nervously as it went down.

" _Should be an electric carriage I can take. Maybe I should let dad know? Nah, too late. It's nothing but crowded now._ "

Blue's eyes snapped to light as he started to maneuver through the bottom floor once he reached it. He constantly had to keep focused moving left and right past pokemon. He was irritated to nearly hissing at the large groups walking side by side making a wall.

Blue left the building taking a deep breath of air while he looked around. He approached an electric carriage with a Swadloon behind the wheel on the front of it.

"Hey, how much for the park?" Blue called up to him.

The Swadloon looked over to his left until he saw Blue.

"I seen you around the N.A." the Swadloon nodded approvingly, "We're heading to the park, free of charge for your service."

"Appreciate it!" Blue smiled nodding back.

Blue sat near an Emolga and Dunsparce who were talking miscellaneously during the ride. Blue rested his eyes while the carriage was constantly stopping and going. He found himself comfortable on the carpeted floor. He blinked his eyes open when he heard the back of the carriage open.

"We're here." the Swadloon announced.

Blue followed the Emolga and Dunsparce outside and thanked the Swadloon again.

" _He should be around the middle of the park._ " Blue gulped.

Blue wearily looked around the park for anything that stuck out to him. From how dense the trees were, he could tell he was closer to the center of the park.

" _He should be around here somewhere..._ "

Blue's eyes paused on a large pair of wings in the distance. He make out they were the wings of a Butterfree.

" _That famous explorer..._ " Blue huffed, " _He's supposed to help me evolve today. I'm close, and my father wanted the best of the best to push me over the edge._ "

Blue walked back and forth a moment before continuing towards the Butterfree. He felt his more formal side coming out as he walked into the Butterfree's eyesight. Although the Butterfree was simply waiting there standing and looking around, Blue's knowledge about some of things he could do make him look like a king out in the open.

"Marciel, yes?" Blue asked.

The Butterfree turned to face Blue. He had a sharp an alert expression.

"Yes, young-ling." the Butterfree nodded, "Are you the one I'm looking for here?"

"Yes." Blue nodded, "I am here and ready."

"Alright!" the Butterfree smiled, "First, I'm going to assess your progress. Then I will tell you how to ensure it. Sensible, yes?"

"Yes." Blue answered.

"Well, let's hope this assessment doesn't get too rowdy." Marciel laughed.

" _Wait. Crap._ "

Blue's eyes blinked as the Butterfree backed away slowly with a readying stance.

" _Prolly no avoiding it, though. I mean, he has to test and see..._ "

"Just strike at my wings. I should be able to tell from that." Marciel reasoned.

"Oh, really?" Blue huffed, "Cool."

Blue waited for the Butterfree to turn around before preparing a shadow ball. Blue threw it with an average amount of force and watched it clank into the Butterfree's wings. It disappeared into a purple mist.

"You should have it by today." the Butterfree reported turning around, "I think you just need a push over the edge."

"Any recommendations?" Blue asked.

"Well, a rash one. There's a group of bandits in the outskirts that could get your adrenaline rushing." Marciel replied hesitantly, "I'm not sure how dangerous your work usually is..."

"Should be fine." Blue smiled, "Especially with you around to help."

"Heh..." Marciel sighed, "Well, this mission actually has more punch to it than I can take alone... I've been looking to enlist help."

"Well, what style of help?" Blue asked.

"I am in need of a lot more power." Marciel admitted, "It is a large group of street thugs that started to bunch together. I prefer to end it before it grows to be a problem for an old friend I have around there, but there are too many to directly engage if need be."

"Uhm, isn't that kind of a lot?" Blue sweat dropped.

"Yes, but they are just mostly delinquents as well..." Marciel said, "I cannot take physical action against all of them, but I know for a fact a small crowd of them is especially nasty."

"Sounds like a Nightlight thing." Blue smiled, "But does this help me evolve?"

"Well, your power is already at the mark." Marciel nodded, "From here, it is an issue of choice whether to evolve or not, which you seem to desire... Helping with this should help you given the amount of potential combat. You can call me anytime you would like to be more personal if you would like."

"Sure." Blue agreed, "Text me the details, and I'll make sure it gets done."

"Gratitude." the Butterfree smiled, "I could go around with you today, even if I won't mix well with the crowd for the mission. Just taking a rest from my usual antics..."

"Coolio." Blue smirked, "Let's head to the N.A."

Blue started to quickly warm up to the Butterfree as they walked briskly. Marciel still held a somehow heroic disposition, but Blue started to love it. He was used to being the only aggressive boy around, but Marciel held a lot more energy.

"Hey, so what's the deal with these guys anyways? Do they party too loud for they neighborhood or something?" Blue asked.

"I wish." Marciel said, "One of the parents to the kids in a school was involved with unsavory pokemon. The child influence spread around her, and the classrooms are tainted with it."

"What exactly can we even do?" Blue asked, "I mean, we can arrest them, but that won't fix it..."

"Just remove the core of the problem." Marciel said, "It can heal with time, but it needs to start before a point."

"So, I'm guessing you don't have prove except for what your client heard?" the shiny Zorua Blue looked.

"Yes. I'm afraid you'll have to catch the act itself." Marciel nodded.

"Ahhh, alright. Should be a snap." Blue smirked, "We've got a pokemon named Kite who's a wiz at strategies for stuff like this."

"Ah, I think I have heard that name before." Marciel said, "I have heard the Nightlights have great strategists, indeed. I worked with Lancelot on a few cases a couple of years ago."

"Really?" Blue asked, "Where?"

"We were following a lead for his lost son about two or so years ago." Marciel answered, "We connected, but the results were rather depressing..."

"You don't know..." Blue murmured.

"Know?" Marciel asked, "Is this about those rumors?"

"He actually did it." Blue nodded, "You should catch up with Mr. Acuity. It's been really crazy lately."

"Well well..." Marciel shook his head, "Heh... Positively amazing. The white star is his nickname, yes?"

"Yeah." Blue nodded, "I'll tell you more in private."

Marciel followed Blue back into the Nightlight tower into the elevator. No other pokemon seemed to notice Marciel's status. They continued through hallways until they were at the doors of the Angel headquarters in a couple of minutes.

Blue opened the door and peered inside.

"Hey guuuuuys!" Blue called.

"Hey, Blue." Kite's voice responded.

"I have a guest." Blue said, "Where's Mr. Acuity?"

"He's out at the moment." Kite answered, "Who's our welcomed guest?"

"His name is Marciel." Blue replied, " He's an explorer and knows Mr. Acuity. My dad had me meet him this morning."

Blue looked around the base to only see Kite looking back sleepily from the couch. He lied against the back of the seat with half open eyes.

" _Ah, he's practically sleep talking..._ "

"Hey, Kite? Do you know where Angelo is?" Blue asked.

"Hannah and Anne went with him to his room before I fell asleep,"

"Thanks, Kite. See you later."

Blue gestured to Marciel and closed the door behind them as they left.

"Is that pokemon in there alright?" Marciel asked.

"Ehhh... He's horribly overworked." Blue sighed, "He'll be alright, though. You ready to see him?"

Marciel nodded. Blue continued to lead back through the hallways to the door to Angelo's room. He knocked before scanning his gadget to open the doors.

"Wait here a sec." Blue said.

"Of course." Marciel nodded.

Blue looked around and found the white and gray Flareon to be sleeping on a circular couch. A Cinccino sat calmly next to him stroking the fur on his back.

"Hannah?" Blue asked the Cinccino quietly, "What's up?"

"Oh, Blue." Hannah acknowledged, "He had a bit of a panic attack. I used sing to calm him down, and he went to sleep a bit after..."

"What set him off?" Blue asked quietly.

"We were talking about his mom." Hannah sighed, "Didn't realize it would set him off. What's up?"

"One of Lancelot's old friends is outside." Blue said, "Keep me posted and we'll swing by later."

"Alright."

Blue left quietly and had the doors close behind him.

"Well, he's kind of preoccupied right now." Blue said to the Butterfree, "But you can relax. You've got all the help you need right here."

"You want to take this on yourself?" Marciel asked, "You are a talented fighter, but it is too much..."

"I'm not gonna fight em, pffffft." Blue said, "I'm gonna trick them. With my wiles, of course. Show me the way."

"Uhm..."

Reluctantly, Marciel took the lead as Blue followed.

" _Man, I hate having to do stuff sneaking around. Whatever the case, we just need a warrant. Which is basically just evidence. I totes got this._ "


	35. Chapter 32

Blue took a deep breath and exhaled a short moment later.

"Smells like trash." Blue said, "You didn't hear that from me, by the way."

"Well... I do prefer the swamps to this." the Butterfree admitted.

The Butterfree had led the shiny Zorua to a bleaker looking street. The tower was in view appearing about the size of a smaller cloud from where they were.

The buildings around them all looked older and had diminishing properties. The brick street was cracked all over.

"Having parties here is just weird. There are so many other places..." Blue said, " What school is it?"

"Quincy." Marciel replied.

"Quincy!? That place is filthy rich. Starting to see what you mean." Blue said, "Rich people can get their hands on stuff pretty well, especially parents. What kind of stuff is it?"

"It is difficult to know exactly." the Butterfree shrugged, "The rumors vary too much."

"Well, I'll figure it out." Blue smiled, "Where's your client for this?"

"Out of town, actually. I could give him a call if you need something." Marciel offered.

"You can just message and ask him for details about every last classmate that he knows." Blue said, "You go do that and get it in to me. I need to go do stuff around here."

The Butterfree and shiny Zorua parted ways with Marciel flying away quickly.

" _I need to know the style of the area first thing._ "

Blue stalked around casually for a couple of hours. Pokemon started by looking at the shiny Zorua knowing he didn't fit in, but he started to copy their aspects. Blue's fur slowly got messier and more frizzled around his body, and his walk became slower with a little bit of a stagger added on.

" _Frizzed fur, slower walk. I feel like I'm pulling an Angelo... Wait, crap!_ " Blue realized, " _I could have saved like, two hours if I led of with that! Dang iiiit... Should I copy his northern accent too? Oh, I think I might already have that... Ok, time to meet and greet._ "

Blue continued to roam around until he decided to go inside of a dirty looking restaurant. There were plenty of pokemon inside in larger groups.

" _This'll be hard. I can't just walk up to strangers, I have to attract them to talk to me somehow. Girls should be easier._ "

Blue looked around until he noticed a table of only girls at the center. He could already tell they were well of socially.

" _Ok. I know what to do..._ "

Blue looked around casually before leaving the restaurant and sticking to its side. He sat down in front of the wall and pretended to be paying attention to his gadget. He waited there until he noticed the group leaving with the girls still in the center.

Blue followed the group off to the side of the wall. From what he could tell, most of the pokemon there were athletes.

He continued to follow them as the groups sectioned off. They eventually started to go down a tiny bit thinner street and walked next to the buildings on the other side of the street.

" _They're starting to get small enough now. Good._ "

Blue focused and started an illusion. He made a fake chunk of concrete that resembled the buildings' in the air and emulated it falling over the group.

"Oi!" someone cried out.

Blue made an illusion shadow ball and emulated a huge explosion of shadowy energy. It fell a short distance before slowly disappearing in mid air. Blue leaned back against the wall he was by.

"You guys all right?" Blue called.

The group looked at Blue bewildered. Blue found the composition of the group to be an Elekid, Shuppet, Clefairy, Ralts, and Torracat. He noticed just then that the Elekid was actually male.

"Yeah. Whoa." the Shuppet's eyes glistened.

The group approached Blue thanking him as they came.

"You guys seem pretty tough, though. I just happened to see it." Blue shrugged, "Athletes?"

"Yeah." the Shuppet replied, "Whoa."

"Thanks for that, man." the Elekid greeted, "What's your name?"

"Blue." he replied, "You guys?"

"Jannette." the Shuppet said, "Whoa."

"Mark." the Elekid nodded approvingly.

"Stella." the Clefairy greeted, "The Torracat's name is Gwen, and the Ralts is Stacie. They're a little shy."

Blue nodded at the group passively.

"You live around here?" the Elekid asked.

"A tad closer to the city." Blue answered.

"Ah, nice. Come with us and get familiar." the Elekid invited.

"Whoa." the Shuppet said.

"Sure." Blue said, "What're you guys up to?"

"We're going to a game, then to a party after at a teammate's house." the Ralts said, "Usually it's just for athletes at our school, but what you did passes the test. Wanna come watch?"

"Sounds good. Maybe you'll save me this time." Blue smirked, "Where's it at?"

"In the basement of an abandoned building that used to teach fighting. " the Elekid said, "Really big."

" _Illegal tourneys, or something else? This could make a lot o money for whoever's in charge."_

"Phew, how old?" Blue questioned.

"Ah, it's not going to crash this century." the Elekid laughed.

""Well, I guess I'll just have to be ready for more falling stuff." Blue shrugged, "Lead the way."

Blue stalked behind the group for a short second to mute his gadget and hide it again. He walked near the Elekid in the group, since he seemed to be the leader.

"What kind of stuff do you do there?" Blue asked casually.

"Just basic battle tourneys and practices." the Ralts said, "The school runs it."

" _Ah, this might not be one of those groups. This is still worth going, though._ "

The building turned out to be closer than Blue imagined. It was on the same side street and was very small. The concrete was black and cracked all over, and the building had a small rectangular shape.

"Yeah _, no, these guys are trying to rob me._ "

"Pft." Blue snorted.

"Oi, go in there." the Elekid said.

"I'm scared of dark places." Blue shrugged, "Sorry."

The pokemon started to walk towards Blue aggressively. Blue looked them all over quickly and lost no confidence.

Before Blue was about to start an illusion, the ground in front of each of the pokemon exploded up small spouts of dust. All of them except Blue flinched.

" _Street got broken?_ " Blue's eyes snapped, " _Who could?_ "

A streak of gray appeared in the top of Blue's vision and feel to the ground like a weight. It appeared like a candle flame as it sat on the ground. All of the pokemon in front of Blue scattered away more and more quickly.

"Ah, Angeloooo. You got pebbles all in my fur..." Blue complained jokingly.

The fur reminiscent of a candle soothed over the pokemon's body. The gray and white Flareon turned around and met Blue's eyes with his white and blue ones.

"Oh, sorry..." Angelo apologized, "I didn't realize it was you."

"Wait, you do this just normally?" Blue asked.

"Uhm, is that bad?" Angelo bit his lip.

"It's, uh... Hard on the knees." Blue sweat dropped.

The shiny Zorua turned his attention back to the building. It had no windows and looked really dreary. The only entrance was a broken down one the group of pokemon tried to guide him into.

"It's an abandoned prison." Angelo said, "The kind shut down after the Nightlights became bigger. It used to be run by the government."

" _When I'm king I need to burn some buildings._ " Blue sighed.

"Let's check inside, carefully." Blue said, "Some bad stuff going on at the school nearby."

"It doesn't feel like there are pokemon inside..." Angelo said.

"Feel?" Blue asked.

"Never mind, let's check." Angelo answered quickly.

" _Angelo seems flustered."_ Blue noted, " _It could be about his mom, so I can't over-rely on having his usual brute skill right now. Better keep conversation more typical for now._ "

"So, how are things with Hannah?" Blue smirked, "You a fan yet?"

Blue watched amused as Angelo started to make sounds that had correlation to words. He continuously stuttered with a red face. Although the sounds made no sense, he continued to stutter as if he was explaining something complicated.

"Ok, listen." Blue said, "I don't speak hormones, but you should go to one of her concerts sometime. When guys she likes go, she dances with em onstage."

"Hormones?" Angelo squeaked.

"Honestly, it's not that complicated. Just ask her out sometime." Blue shrugged, "I know that your dad would be fine with it."

Blue read Angelo's body language. The gray and white Flareon had his gray tail wrapped around his feet and his mouth semi buried in the fur on his neck. His fur was puffy, showing that his adrenaline was slightly up.

" _Wow, has it bad._ " Blue smiled.

"Let's check out the inside." Blue said, "You sharp?"

Angelo's posture changed to a stalking stance and his fur sharpened out. His soft eyes became smaller and more focused as he nodded. Blue gained his own sharp complexion.

"They might have a warning because of the pokemon that just ran off." Blue said, "If you see too much movement, I'll really need a bit of that brute skill of yours."

"Uhm, brute?" Angelo asked.

"You're good at fighting n stuff." Blue said, "Alright, let's go."

Blue started through the smaller entrance to see a thinner hallway just inside. The walls were brown with age and looked dilapidated.

Blue kept his foot steps to low creaking while Angelo somehow kept completely silent. Cells on the side of the walls had no doors and were utterly gross looking on the inside.

" _Really is just a mugging spot. This needs to be torn down._ "

Blue and Angelo kept walking for a minute until something caught Angelo's eye causing him to swerve his direction. Blue immediately noticed and followed Angelo into one of the smaller cells.

"Jonathan!?" Angelo exclaimed.

Blue followed Angelo into the cell to see a Heliolisk battered and bruised on the ground inside.

"Ah, sorry you have to see me like this, Angelo." the Heliolisk chuckled, "Kids are tough these days."

"Are you alright?" Angelo asked quickly.

"Yah, yah. Don't get your fur all bunched up over it." the Heliolish sighed, "Is this guy gunna shackle me, or..." he gesutred to the shiny Zorua.

"Uhm, technically I should be trying to recruit you..." Blue sweat dropped.

"Really now..." the Heliolis said, "Well, we'll see about it after I tie up loose ends. Going straight is hard on the knees."

"Where have you been?" Angelo asked, "Why are you here?"

"Calm down." the Heliolisk chuckled, "And hear me out. I was looking for Dre's parents."

"Dre?" Angelo asked.

"Oh," he realized, "I've been doing some archive diving. I tracked his parents around here, and it looks like they've been gone for good. Unfortunately, Diondre has brother around here that's stirring up all sorts of trouble. A little Elekid rascal and his gang."

"For real?" Blue asked.

Yah, erm... For real." the Heliolisk nodded, "What are you Nightlights doing with Diondre?"

Angelo looked at Blue, and he knew it was his time to answer.

"He's in containment inside a couple of floors. He's getting treated for anxiety and other things. He's scheduled to be put into school the coming fall, and to see Angelo in just a few days." Blue reported.

"That's all very good... Don't tell him a thing." the Heliolisk frowned, "And to make my life easier. You never saw me... Except, for, uhm, getting me some pain meds..."

"What are you trying to do, exactly?" Blue asked.

"Prolly something along the lines of what you're trying to do. Kids that need parents are just... A weakness of mine."

Angelo stared at the Heliolisk frowning.

"Why do't you just come back?" Angelo asked.

"If I do that right now, I've got about twenty pokemon on my tail I'd lead right back to you. They're all looking for the white stone after I stole it, and are being more protective of something else. Another stone just like it except for being black."

" _Ah, crap. That's no good._ " Blue frowned.

"We need to get that." Blue said, "Who's following you?"

"Out of your league." the Heliolisk shook his head, "A Grovyle that's wicked strong, and a couple of others. Too clean of fighters to be just bandits."

"We're already on that." Blue nodded, "But you can't stay out here. Mr. Acuity has a way for you to completely avoid jail-time, but it only works if you come to us willingly."

"Eh?" the Heliolisk grunted, "What's that Lancelot concerned with me for?"

"You helped bring Angelo to him. I mean, like, of course he wants to work with you, at least." Blue said.

"Indeed."

Blue and Angelo turned their backs to see a Dragonite arrive behind them. Blue and Angelo looked at each other and back to the Dragonite surprised.

"I've had some ordeals myself in the past when I lived in Maroon." Lancelot said, "I still believe as much as I did back then that you can surpass the circumstances you are born into. You did that when you risked your life."

"I was just as much a part of keeping him captured as anyone else." the Heliolisk sighed.

"You can be just as much of him being free as I aim to be." Lancelot crossed his arms.

Blue and Angelo turned back around as the Heliolisk seemed to think while on the ground.

"Angelo, Blue." Lancelot said, "You two can go back in get some rest. We'll be back."

Blue and Angelo looked to each other again before nodding.

"Yeah."

Blue and Angelo left glancing back and staring at each other again.

"He'll be alright..." Blue whispered.

"He didn't agree yet..." Angelo replied with a low sigh.

"He will." Blue said, "For you."

Angelo smirked.


	36. Chapter 33

A Quilava roamed around a small hallway on his two legs. The inside of the school had hard white bricks for walls and dirty carpets on the floors in the classroom. The hallways had white checkered floors and lockers on all sides.

The Quilava turned and slowly opened the door into a full room.

"You're late." a Staravia up front squawked.

The Quilava looked up and behind himself at a clock.

"There's still a minute until class starts." the Quilava said.

"Class is a priority. You should be early!" the Staravia countered.

"I'm already doing what the school says I should." the Quilava rolled his eyes, "Regardless of what you want me to do."

"Go the principle's office."

The Quilava nodded, turned around, and casually walked back out of the room.

The Quilava arrived home quietly. The door's resounding click behind him was intensely audible as both of his parents, a Charmeleon mom and Typhlosion dad, stared him down. The Quilava stared back unwilling to be the first to speak.

"Gawain," the Typhlosion said, "What is your problem? You're going to be a senior in high school next year, and you're doing poorly in summer school. You're too old for this."

"I already told you what I wanted." Gawain said.

"Being a Nightlight is hard." the Typhlosion said, "You're not cut out for it."

"And how would you know that?" Gawain asked.

"You're my son!" the Typphosion raised his voice, "Of course I would know."

"You don't have an actual answer..." Gawain argued.

"We know all about how shiny the tower appears on the outside and what's on the inside." the Charmeleon said, "We just want to look out for you, dear."

"I still want to do it." Gawain said determined.

"You can't be an effective Nightlight with how your grades are." the Typhlosion said, "Not making up tests. Acing the only one you decide to show up for. If you showed any willingness at all to apply yourself, I'd pack your bags for you."

"Let me do a tryout." Gawain said, "And I'll show you."

"You could show me by just taking five minutes to do your homework... I'll take you tomorrow." the Typhlosion agreed.

"Then I'll pass tomorrow." Gawain nodded.

Gawain was used to living in a rougher neighborhood. There were clear definitions of what strength was, and what traits that defined talent were listed and stereotyped heavily.

Gawain had all of these traits. He was more introverted, expressed his emotions mostly only in private, and had a natural tact for fighting. He would constantly have fights picked with him when he was younger from jealous kids. Although slow, he was eventually alienated from his classmates completely. Strength and kindness being together in a pokemon seemed impossible to his classmates, and they always misinterpreted his actions.

He grew to admire the Nightlights community as he watched them in action. Although they all gave off the vibe of normal pokemon, they all had an underlying intensity, something he felt inside himself waiting to be unleashed.

The Quilava fell asleep with a flaming heart.

The Quilava and the Typhlosion set out early in the morning. They lived a decent ways away from the inner city, and left early to make it to the Nightlight Association in time. The large building growing closer only increased his excitement continuously until he nearly burst near the door.

"Stick close, I'll sign you up." the Typhlosion said.

Gawain agreed while taking in the sights. Pokemon all around him were busy and there was chatting all over. He felt comfortable attracting little attention. He hardly paid attention while the Typhlosion signed him up at a registry table.

"There happens to be one in just fifteen or so minutes." the Typhlosion says, "Are you ready?"

"Yeah." Gawain said, "Been ready."

"I hope this experience is a wake-up call..." the Typhlosion muttered.

"Same here." the Quilava frowned.

Gawain and his father didn't exchange words as they waited in the lobby. Gawain was pointed out his group by his father and went to it. The pokemon were in a small semi-circle on the side of the lobby.

Gawain approached quietly and waited as a few of them had conversation. They all seemed much more casual about the ordeal. Most of them looked older than Gawain.

" _Confidence, maybe? Hard to tell. Plenty of pokemon take the tryouts without expecting to pass, though._ "

Gawain waited alongside the other applicants on the edge of the semi-circle.

" _I wonder if all the walls here are pitch black. I hear they vary besides the lobby._ "

"Helloooo." a high-pitched Gabite greeted suddenly, "I'll be your guys' examiner today. My name is Jessie. We'll be going up the elevator to a training room for basic physical evaluation. Is everyone alright with that?"

The groups slowly gave a resounding yes, and the Gabite had them follow her into a huge elevator. Although the group stuck together, there were points over the two minutes that Gawain found himself packed in tightly. Pokemon kept getting in the elevator going down, meaning it slowly got more and more cramped until they arrived on the bare empty training floor.

A few different groups went out of the elevator, but Gawain made sure to keep track of the Gabite and stayed with is group as they continued.

"Alright, so we'll be taking turns today. We're going to be testing strength and speed with basic exercises." the Gabite addressed, " Is everyone alright with this?"

" _Still treating us like civilians at this point. I wonder how many stages there are to it._ "

"Alright. I'm going to have you guys make a line." the Gabite said, "We'r'e going to work down the line, and I will be doing one at a time."

The semi-circle they had made again straightened out. Gawain was closer to the center of the line. He peered out to his left and right really quickly and estimated there were about ten or so pokemon in his group.

"Alright, we'll be starting from this side." the Gabite pointed to Gawain's right, "Are you ready down there?"

"Yeh." a Machop said. He walked forward cracking his knuckles taking a deep breath.

"What we're doing today is just a bit of a show and tell. Any skills you have, knowledge, strengths... Like a pageant. Do you guys understand?" the Gabite said, "Here, let me demonstrate."

The Gabite stood in front of the group and did a few simple fighting motions. The Gabite also puffed out a small dragonbreath at the end of it.

"Like that, okay?" she said, "Alright."

" _Show and tell makes sense as a start, but it's tamer than I was expecting so far._ "

The Machop used moves and show flexibility and strength. Gawain liked the performance, but the Machop was panting horribly after.

"Make sure to push yourselves, but not too hard. We want the most accurate readings of how you would perform in real situations."

The line continued next with a Cutiefly that used ranged attacks. Gawain glanced to the side to see the other members not giving much of a reaction.

" _Being pretty serious at this stage. I wonder what they're thinking about..."_

The line kept moving swiftly with the pokemon tiring out at close to the same pace. A Servine to Gawain's right looked excitable and eager, bouncing lightly on his feet.

Eventually, it was the Servine's turn. Gawain smiled to himself as he watched the Servine showcase impressing moves. The Servine started with a tornado of leaves, then continued to use moves as it kept up the tornado of leaves as a defensive barrier. The line was forced to move back at the winds being hurled by the leaves.

After a long while the tornado of leaves disappeared, and the Servine took a short bow.

"Very impressive endurance, good sir!" the Gabite complimented, "A great example."

Gawain was prompted by the Gabite to step forward.

"Ah, feels a little weird." Gawain said, "I don't really practice alone."

"If you don't show anything, I can't pass you." the Gabite snapped, "There's no such thing as a shy and effective Nightlight agent."

The gray and white Flareon woke and looked around himself awkwardly.

" _Hm? Eu? Mmm..._ "

The gray and white Flareon set its head back down.

"Alright, alright." Gawain conceded.

" _Ugh, and pokemon wonder why I don't like them..._ "

Gawain went to the same distance the other members were at and decided to face them during his.

" _Just enough to move forward... Let's see, seems likes a gold rank. Using lava plume for a bit should do it._ "

Gawain did a few simple movements and did them slowly. Using lava plume, he shot fire from his hands and feet as he did basic moves that chained into each other.

" _Feel like I'm dancing. Guess I can relate it to that._ "

Gawain finished by showing flexibility with a jumping ax kick the brought a small torrent of flames up off the ground and back down to disappear on the steel floor. Gawain took a deep breath and went back into line in a laid back manner.

The rest of the pokemon went and did similarly basic maneuvers. Gawain was pleased that he seemed to satisfy the standard.

"Okay guys, does anyone have anything else they'd like to demonstrate?" the Gabite asked, "Otherwise, only that Servine there is passing."

" _Aaaaaaaalrighty then._ "

"What!?" the group questioned outraged.

"I've seen agents with less strength than what I've shown!" the Machop argued.

"True." the Gabite nodded, "And I'd kick them all out if it were up to me. You're close, so you might want to push yourself and see if you can make it. As for the rest of you, nothing much to say."

"Could we have a short battle?"

Everyone turned to Gawain as he raised his right arm politely.

"Oh, I'm not warmed up for today." Jessie sighed, "You'll have to simply try to perform, again."

"I could help warm you up for today. As a matter of fact, I'll set you on fire." Gawain hissed.

"Well then, be my guest." the Gabite snapped.

The Gabite walked back a decent distance while Gawain stalked forward. He took deep breaths, stirring enlarging flames to grow from his fur on his head. The ground he walked on started to glow a faint red. The Gabite tensed up once she turned around at the intensity of the heat that started to make the air look wavy.

" _Don't need anything overkill, but I am not losing._ "

"Alright, you first." the Gabite offered.

Gawain took a deep breath and exhaled using the move heat wave. The Gabite reacted by holding it's arms over its face, but the move reddened the floor and immediately burned the Gabite's abdomen. She gave a short holler at the attack before removing her arms from her face once it ended.

" _Good thing I made it shorter than usual._ "

"Enough!" the Gabite called, "You did not need to battle me in order to show off a move like that!"

The Gabite approached with an angry stomp holding its abdomen with one arm.

"It's simple, so it's hard to show the power for it." Gawain explained, "I'm not flashy."

"Ehhhh, nah. We can feel it."

Gawain turned behind him to see the Machop sweating heavily. The Servine was fanning himself with his tail rapidly while an Oshawott was using hydrop pump on the ground around them sending up considerable steam.

" _Dang it, forgot about behind me..._ " Gawain winced.

"Ugh, you barely even known your own strength." the Gabite huffed, "You'll need a coach before you ever set foot in this building again. Controlling your strength in different ways makes a Nightlight agent, not steamrolling any building or civilian in the way."

"Gawain!"

The line broke as an enraged Typhlosion barreled through. He walked up face-to-face with the Quilava as he was stuck glued to the ground. The fire from his fur went out cold.

"I can't believe you." the Typhlosion said.

"Hey, I-"

"Nope nope nope!" the Typhlosion hushed, "You've been lying to everyone this whole time!"

Gawain questioned what the Typhlosion meant as he paused.

"Gawain," he sighed, "You've been purposefully under-performing in front of me. Why? That move just now was some of the strongest fire attacks I've ever seen."

"And what if I did show you everything?" Gawain yelled, "Everyone would just know, and that sucks. I'm already a huge freak at school. Why do you have to keep pushing this whole standing out crap?"

"This is more important than what a few delinquents think, Gawain! Having weird abilities hasn't changed who someone is. Letting yourself get thrown around like a rag doll for it has." the Typhlosion said, "Stand up for yourself."

"I just did!" Gawain yelled.

"Oi, you two!"

The Typhlosion and Quilava quieted at the Gabite's voice. The Servine smiled as his tail stopped glowing, and the Gabite's burn looked significantly better. The Gabite approached the pair sharply.

"I'm willin to let this guy in," the Gabite gestured to Gawain, "But these folk have some more tests ahead of them. Sign yourself up with a coach and take this conversation to private."

"Of course." the Typhlosion nodded.

The Typhlosion roughly took the Quilava's arm. Although angered beyond boiling at it, Gawain bit his own tongue.

Gawain was half-dragged to the elevator and out of the building.

"We're going home for now." the Typhlosion told Gawain, "We need to have some discussion."

Gawain just agreed silently. The Typhlosion tone seemed to be on a serious note that sent chills up his spine.

The Typhlosion stopped holding Gawain's arm as they made their way back to their house. It was the same long trek, but felt a lot shorter for some reason. The Quilava didn't give his usual sigh of relief when he went through the small doors to their home.

"Sit down there." the Typhlosion ordered.

Gawain went and sat on their usual couch. The television it was facing was off, and it was the only thing to face other than his father sitting next to him. The Charmeleon walked in from the dining room.

"Honey?" she greeted.

"It's what we thought, Maribelle." the Typhlosion said.

The Charmeleon nodded before returning back down the hallway. The smallness of the house was starting to get to Gawain as he was forced into close quarters for this conversation.

"Gawain, I could've helped you." the Typhlosion said, "I knew there was a possibility you'd have high bio-energy, so I wanted you to be honest with me."

"You'd just treat me like I'm soft, then." Gawain argued.

"I wouldn't, Gawain. Just because high bio-energy causes mood swings and other mentality issues, I would've just shown you how I deal with mine. Having strength is something to be happy about..."

"Of course it is!" Gawain raised his voice, "But I barely even talk to anyone other than you!"

"Which is why I'm about to tell you what's going to happen." the Typhlosion said, "I know someone experienced in the Nightlight Association who can help you so you can have a better life."

"Who on earth understands?" Gawain asked, "Barely anyone has a ton of bio-energy."

"Correct," the Typhlosion nodded, "Normal coaches won't be as effective. Luckily for you..."

Gawain leaned in unconsciously in paying deep attention.

"I'm a cousin to a certain Dragonite."


	37. Chapter 34

Angelo came to his senses slowly being prodded in the side by something. He yawned noticing a yellow arm poking him slowly.

"Hey, Angelo. Are you alright?" the Dragonite asked.

"Yah, just tired. What's up?" the gray and white Flareon stirred.

"You have visitors. Your grandparents." Lancelot said, "They're arriving in a little while."

"My... My grandparents!?"

Angelo bounced from his lying position and faced the Dragonite.

"I have grandparents!?" Angelo said, "And they're coming!?"

"I didn't have much warning either." Lancelot huffed, "Yes, on your mother's side. I haven't caught the breath to tell them about you yet. I'd prefer to break the news to them slowly."

"Ok." Angelo nodded, "Do I look alright?"

"Well, you always do." Lancelot shrugged, "It's a wonder... Just wait in here, and I'll knock if they are coming in."

"Understood." Angelo said, "But, what're you going to tell them about?"

"Everything. They've been as distraught as me about it... "

The Dragonite suddenly held his arm up to himself. Angelo noticed he had a gold and hard to see Nightlight gadget bound on his arm.

"Sir, jewel robber running off in an electric carriage!" a voice reported, "Straight down Laurel!"

Angelo was looking around his room while he listened. He was confused as to what time of day it was.

"I'll be back in a while. Stay in the building." Lancelot ordered.

"It's too fast for most pokemon." Angelo sighed, "Let me go too."

"I'm keeping you from public eye." Lancelot said, "It's better for you that way."

"And what about for them?" Angelo replied.

"There's no time to argue." Lancelot insisted.

"Yah, I know."

Angelo grabbed onto the Dragonite's arms and climbed onto his shoulder. Angelo wrapped his tail around the Dragonite acting like a scarf.

"Hang on tightly." Lancelot ordered.

"Uhm...?"

Angelo's stomach dropped seeing a part of the hallway glowing red with opening walls.

" _Uhm, aren't we like, very very high up!?_ "

Angelo's mouth dropped as the Dragonite took a simple nosedive downwards. the sight was unlike anything Angelo had ever seen. He saw slight curvature in the horizon and had the feeling of free fall while hugging the Dragonite's neck tightly. He couldn't hear if he was screaming over the wind.

Slowly, the Dragonite leaned more and more upwards until they were eventually traveling completely horizontally. They were still flying over the tops of rather tall buildings, but Angelo's adrenaline wore off somehow.

"There are pokemon gripping the top of it." Lancelot reported, "It's going to be a ranged battle until we get in close. Just keep around my neck."

Lancelot descended quickly and swerved upwards . They were still a good distance from the fast-moving ground, but Angelo was confident he could jump and be fine at any time.

I'm going to guess it's the absolute crazed one that's the robbers?" Angelo asked.

"Yuuuup..." Lancelot huffed.

An electric carriage was barreling down the street as quickly as possible. The pokemon on the streets were constantly clearing the path, but there weer screams as it continued at a decently high speed.

"I can't just make it explode jewelry all over the place. What do we do?" Angelo asked.

"We need to take off its front two wheels." Lancelot said, "We're going to-"

"Dad, look!"

Angelo pointed to a group of pokemon standing in a wall formation. A Grovyle Angelo recognized from the apartment building stood in the center readying a solarbeam.

"We're going to get a good position on the situation." the Dragonite sweat dropped.

The Dragonite slowed and gained a vantage point in a nearby taller building over the road. The Grobyle fired the solarbeam as they landed and cut out the bottom of the carriage. The carriage scraped with a horrible sound on the ground as the Grovyle and pokemon surrounding it moved swiftly to the side.

The electric carriage didn't have enough speed to flip over and stopped upright with a completely torn bottom.

"Stay here unless it's an emergency." Lancelot ordered, "Understood?"

"Yah." Angelo said.

The gray and white Flareon jumped off of the Dragonite's back swiftly. The Dragonite wasted no time in taking another nose dive straight for ground.

" _They aren't paying much attention to the carriage. What would they want..._ "

Angelo watched as the Dragonite landed intimidatingly close to the group of pokemon. Although Angelo admired the style, not a single one of them flinched. He pulled out his necklace and called Kite.

"Kite." Angelo said, "There's something wrong over here."

"Where are you?" Kite's voice asked.

"I'm with my dad." Angelo said, "These pokemon are acting too confident. I think we need backup."

"If you get into sight lines, it could be fatal for staying under the radar." Kite warned.

"I know, but it's way too off." Angelo sighed, "Not overconfident or scared. It's a bad sign."

"Backup will come in two minutes." Kite said, "Stay safe."

Angelo put his necklace back into the fur of his neck. He continued to peer over the edge of the building to see neither party had moved yet. The Grovyle maintained an aggressive stance while pokemon were starting to crowd around slightly.

Angelo jumped at the pokemon around the Grovyle fired different concealing attacks. Smoke erupted so quickly Angelo had to pull his head back after a short moment. He saw rays of attacks and heard chaotic fighting below. The smoke cleared quickly letting Angelo slowly peered his eyes to see the ground again.

The Dragonite was surrounded and looked like he had some wounds. The Dragonite continued to get pressured from attacks as Angelo quickly whipped out his necklace again.

"Kite? How far?" he asked.

"They were held up another minute." Kite's voice answered.

Angelo put away his necklace and took a deep breath.

" _I can't do a lot of different things with my energy yet, but dad can use it somehow._ "

Angelo was at a height he had already tested before, but was a little more tense jumping straight into a larger battle. He aimed for a space near Lancelot and jumped feeling wind pick up as he sent energy pulsing through his muscles to strengthen them.

Angelo approached the ground while accelerating. His landing caused bricks to bounce up off of the ground charred black from his bio-energy and brought attention to him. The first move Angelo made was swiftly climbing onto the Dragonite's shoulder.

The Grovyle gave a hand gesture and the group used another huge smoke attack. Angelo closed his eyes and tuned in his hearing to hear them moving away.

"They're running." he said, "What do we do?"

"Nothing. Focus on the thieves." Lancelot ordered, "That bunch is too fast."

The Dragonite flapped its wings viciously to get rid of the black smoke. Angelo turned around on his shoulder to see a small band of pokemon leaving the carriage quietly. The group was an Arbok, Weepingbell, Pignite, and Golduck.

"Dad, there!" Angelo said, "They're leaving the carriage."

Angelo turned around to keep his line of sight aligned as the Dragonite turned and looked.

"Hold it there!" Lancelot called.

Angelo jumped down from Lancelot's shoulder when he saw the pokemon gain a battle stance. He slammed his energy filled right arm into the ground for balance and let out the most vicious roar he could. The heat from his energy burned the ground around him and sent pressuring hot winds at the group. They guarded themselves with defensive moves only to have them broken as the roar ended.

The group of pokemon noticed while they were reorienting themselves that the front of the electric carriage had turned black as Angelo scraped his arm from the ground and detracted his claws.

"Angelo," Lancelot called, "They're done! Mission accomplished."

Angelo took a deep breath and wiped his forehead. A group of pokemon came from behind the thieves and took them very easily into custody while Angelo watched to make sure none of the thieves tried to move. Angelo just then realized his heart was pounding from the stress while he continued to stare for a couple of minutes.

" _Okay, okay. We're good, it's done._ " Angelo huffed, " _All set._ "

A soft wind blew from the side as Angelo slowly turned around. He finally noticed a crowd behind the Dragonite that was being held back by a line of pokemon. The Dragonite walked to Angelo with a smile on his face.

"Well, that was a bit visible..." Lancelot laughed, "At least it was a nice first impression."

"I just got worried about you." Angelo frowned, "Sorry."

Angelo finally had a second to wake up and notice his surroundings more. The space they were in had less buildings than he initially realized with the only tall building being the one he jumped off from. The softness and direction of the sun showed that it was early morning.

"You look tired. Ready to head back?" the Dragonite asked.

"Yah, but who are all those pokemon back there?" Angelo asked.

"Reporters." Lancelot answered, "This was a pretty high alarm with them trying to steal jewelry. I sent Damien after the Grovyle just after they ran."

Angelo got close to jump on the Dragonites's arm, but his back had a tinge of pain when he reached up.

"I'll carry you." Lancelot offered, "We'll check on your back as soon as we get back."

Angelo embarrassingly let the Dragonite carefully pick him up off the ground and hold him close to his chest. The Dragonite took off slowly and was flying much more calmly than before.

"Ugh, I think I must've messed it up when I jumped off the building." Angelo said.

"Well, I wasn't aware that you were able to do that at all... It takes strong muscles to use bio-energy more and more efficiently for stunts like that. It causes stress overtime." Lancelot explained.

"So, if I got stronger, how often would I be able to do it?" Angelo asked.

"Well, all pokemon use it when they're using their muscles." Lancelot said, "Your body simply needs to scale up in muscle so that you can use it to the fullest. It works like a scale. More energy needs stronger muscle or it won't work or cause pain."

"I'm not getting any bigger." Angelo complained.

"It's not being big." Lancelot chuckled, "You just need to eat more, honestly."

Angelo rested cozily while the Dragonite flew higher and higher. He didn't feel the height or wind as the Dragonite's arms were larger than him.

" _Geez, dad's strong. I wonder how much he eats..._ "

"How much do you eat?" Angelo asked.

"A lot." Lancelot smirked, "Especially for my size. I don't mean to brag, but I'm quite the juggernaut."

"Tch." Angelo smirked, "Yah, okay. I saw that tiny salad you ate the other day."

"That was a snack." Lancelot said.

"Uh huuuuh."

Angelo was lightly surprised when they reached the tower in a short time. Lancelot continued to carry him as he went back inside the hallways through to his room again.

"So, what happens after we just leave? Who takes them away?" Angelo asked.

"We leave that to silver and gold rank agents that happen to be in the area." Lancelot answered, "The backup you asked for was great for dealing with the crowds."

Lancelot continued until they reached Angelo's room.

"I want you to continue resting and I'll have Hannah check your back." Lancelot said.

"Hannah?" Angelo asked.

"She's knows plenty of massage techniques and is learned in how muscles work. She'll help you when she has a moment."

"Ok."

Lancelot set Angelo gently back onto his bed.

"I'll be dealing with the media." Lancelot sighed, "See you in a short while."

Angelo started to feel sleepy again shortly after the Dragonite left. He was starting to nod off slowly thinking to himself.

" _I just screwed up a whole lot. That Grovyle probably couldn't tell what I looked like in the dark before, but now everyone does. If I'd thought about it... I could've just attacked from a distance till backup came... Dad was fine, he's beyond tough enough for that._ "

Angelo heard a quick knock on his door. It opened slowly as a Cinccino went through looking a bit frantic.

"Angie? Are you alright?" she approached.

" _Angie?_ "

"My back just hurts a bit. I'm fine." Angelo assured, "Did you just wake up?"

"Yeah, I rushed right over." she said," Would you like to go to the couch?"

"Yah." Angelo nodded.

" _Thinking about it now, it's really weird to just have a bed close to the center of a wall. I should probably check the news, too..._ "

The Cinccino sat slightly closer to the back of the couch than Angelo and right next to had found the remote and turned to television on before searching through the channels.

"Whatcha lookin for?" Hannah asked.

"Just the news." Angelo said, "Although stuff that happened in the morning usually shows at noon or so..."

Angelo jumped when the Cinccino touched his back and awkwardly started to slide off. The Cinccino leaned forward and caught him and frantically pulled him back up.

"Thanks." Angelo said.

"So soft. Oh man." Hannah's voice quaked intensely, "Oh, sorry."

Angelo blinked as his arms tensed in surprise.

" _She never sounds like that. I've never seen her lose her composure even a little bit... It's not THAT soft, is it?_ "

Angelo started to blush as the Cinccino cleared her throat quickly.

"So," Hannah's high-pitch returned, "I'm just going to check your back and make sure it's all set to heal up well."

Angelo tensed his back again as soon as the Cinccino touched it. He relaxed slowly as she simply started to pat different areas of his back lightly.

"So, I know about it and all... But what exactly is popular on tv?" Angelo asked, "It looks boring from what I've seen."

"Weeell..." Hannah thought, "I guess it just depends on your preference. My favorite is a little cheesy, but I like romances a lot. What do you like to watch?"

"I've only ever watched one movie." Angelo recalled, "At least, the whole way through. I think it was called Rose Incense?"

"Yah, that's a romance one." Hannah nodded, "That one's pretty good. It's sequel is actually my favorite movie."

"We should-"

Angelo paused.

"Hmmmm?" Hannah said.

"Uhm, I guess you're busy." Angelo said.

"I'm actually free tonight." Hannah suggested, "If you're asking for my time, that is."

"I won't bother you." Angelo sighed.

"I can make the time." Hannah said, "I was going to stay up late anyways, tonight."

"There are better uses of time..." Angelo said.

"I could use a break..." Hannah sighed, " I'll get us snacks, pillows... It'll be fun!"

"Ok." Angelo accepted, "Where do we watch it?"

"I have it in my room, and we could watch them in there." she suggested, "What are you doing during the day?"

"Not sure. What about you?" Angelo asked.

"I was taking the day off, just lounging." she said calmly, "I've heard you have trouble sleeping sometimes. Wanna talk about it?"

"I sometimes just can't get my adrenaline down..." Angelo said, "It's, uhm, hard after stuff."

"I can show you some stuff." she offered, "Just come to me, even if I'm asleep. It'll help me too."

" _..._ "

"Uhm, what do you want to show me?" Angelo sweat dropped, "You're not going to use sing again, right? That only works to make light naps..."

"I'm just going to show you how to relax before you sleep." Hannah laughed.

" _..._ "

"It's still pretty early." Hannah said, "And your back looks like it was just strained a tiny bit. Usually hurts a lot for a short term, but it looks like it's fine now. Want to just stay in with me?"

" _Agh, I want to... I'm so tired. Feels like muggings happening while I'm in the area is becoming a running gag..._ "

Angelo looked back at Hannah still formulating an answer. Done with her task, she scooted to be more on the side of him.

" _It's so annoying not being able to tell if you're just being friendly. I wish you'd just tell me. I can't stand not knowing what others are thinking anymore. It's... Exhausting._ "

Angelo's jaw tensed looking at her.

"What is it?" she asked, "Is something wrong. Angelo?"

"No... Just, uhm." Angelo shook his head.

"Tell me exactly what you're thinking." Hannah said, "It's alright."

"I wish you'd just tell me what you're thinking." Angelo blurted, "You keep playing around with words and how you act so I don't actually know you even though I talk to you every day. No different from everyone else. The only ones who actually act normal around me are dad and Blue."

"Zen has been relaxed too." Hannah argued, "It's... Complicated."

" _A lot of good that did..._ "

"Your dad doesn't want me coming on strongly, but... Since you want me to be honest, I guess it's alright?" Hannah questioned herself.

Angelo nodded with a curious expression.

"I've been, uhm, reprimanded for how I approach conversations with you." Hannah's flinched, "I can't be as, uh, 'real', as I'd prefer."

"It's not up to my dad to choose how you talk to me." Angelo's said, "Just be yourself."

"I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable." Hannah said, "I mean, I've been told I'm really creepy before when, uhm, talking to certain people."

"I've seen the worst of creepy." Angelo retorted, "So I can handle an actual conversation, believe it or not."

"Heh, alright." Hannah smiled.

The pair turned around hearing the door sounding its opening. The Dragonite stood on the other side of the door with his arms crossed.

"Angelo, you've got a few things to do with Charlotte today now." he said, "We need to decide what to do about this morning's incident."

"Incident?" Hannah asked slowly.

"I went out this morning." Angelo sweat dropped.

The Dragonite approached the pair with a tired strut. He rubbed his neck tiredly.

"He jumped off a building when I was surrounded by high-grade bandits and media. I can't even move around the Association without being swarmed..." Lancelot sighed, "So, I have no other choice than to either answer the questions or let Angelo do so himself in a way that he can. I don't want to tell about him to the public myself, but I promised that it would be before the end of the day."

"How much do I have to say, exactly?" Angelo asked.

"I'll be explaining how I lost you, and then you'll explain how you've lived from there." the Dragonite said, "They don't need a history lesson... Especially since meddling with legendary pokemon is against international law..."

"Oh... Oh geez!" Angelo exclaimed, "Dad, why didn't you tell me that?"

"I didn't want to stress you, but you need to know just how much stuff we're actually pinning on Gordon." Lancelot said, "That Haxorous is the pokemon to take the blame for all the necessary actions, but he wants for us all to keep all of the heat on him for you 'kidnapping' from the building. We need to stay focused on finding the Grovyle and more about the other group that invaded the building."

"What exactly is, uhm..." Angelo's voice trailed, "My uncle pinned for?"

"The basic things." Lancelot said, "Treason, kidnapping recently..."

"Would you like help to come up with ideas, Angie?" Hannah asked, "I'm good with crowds."

"Better than me..." Lancelot nodded, "There are may ways to go about it. Charlotte will be coming up to discuss it with you."

"And I'm here too." Hannah smiled.

"Another note as well." Lancelot said, "You have quite a few family members from both your mother's side and mine asking me about you. From my side, it's my cousin and his son, and from your mother's it's her parents and Charlotte's cousin and her family. They'll be arriving around noon."

Angelo blinked at his dad's excitement. Although he could tell he didn't notice, he was bouncing on his toes a bit.

"Hannah, let's go make preparations and let Angelo get ready." Lancelot gestured, "We'll all be upstairs whenever you're ready."

Angelo nodded as the Cinccino pushed herself off of the couch. She followed the Dragonite back out of his doorway.

Angelo noticed the Cinccino turn her head back around as the door was closing. She blew a kiss with a wink just before the doors finished closing. Angelo felt his face and ears heat up quickly.

" _Uhm... That answers that._ "

Angelo went back to his mirror set up along the wall close to his bed. He looked over his whole body as his face started to slowly get less red.

" _It all depends on how I want them to see me for what I do next. And I want them to, well, see me as me._ "

Angelo frowned.

" _Feels like the first time ever that's up to me..._ "


	38. Chapter 35: Introduction, Luke Paula

"Hey. Heeeeey!"

A pokemon sat alone without being able to see. He could feel himself bound back to sitting and felt a cold floor under him.

"Wake it up." a voice complained, "The efficient days start early."

"Where am I?" the bound pokemon asked.

"First things first. What do you remember?" the voice asked.

The pokemon thought about it for a short while.

"Nothing." the pokemon said, "I don't remember anything."

"You poor thing..." the voice said, "Goodness. Do you remember your age? Name?"

The pokemon shook his head. He remembered his name was Luke and he was a Buneary, but didn't want to say.

"I didn't know how calm you'd be or not." the voice answered, "You're a pretty calm amnesiac. You look about... Thirteen, fourteen?"

The Buneary felt his bindings and struggled against them slightly. He found it easy to tear his arms from the bindings and took the blindfold off of his eyes. He looked up to see the face of a surprised Riolu.

"Wow, you're pretty strong." he said, "You broke through that rope like butter. That should be pretty good for here!"

"Here?" Luke asked.

The Buneary drew his attention to their surroundings. They were out on a prairie with mountains and forests visible in the distance.

"It can be anywhere you want!" the Riolu smiled, "Right now, we're in a different plane of reality. We can go everywhere from everywhere!"

"What's that mean?" Luke asked.

"Time and space is pretty broken in here." the Riolu explained, "We need to escape as quick as we can."

"How are we getting out of here?" Luke asked.

"Follow me." the Riolu said, "You have to see it to believe it."

Luke sat up and walked following the Riolu from a short distance. The Riolu didn't seem to be walking towards anything in particular, but the scenery started to shift somehow. Luke didn't blink as the scenery seemed to fade away like an illusion revealing an underground cave. Shining blue rocks lined the huge walls giving everything a blue gleam. Luke just stared bewildered.

"I can control where we go to make things a lot quicker." the Riolu said, "But this world doesn't make a lot of sense.I wish we could go to the real one..."

"I think I'd like more of an explanation other than bad." the Buneary frowned.

"Well... I'll tell you later." the Riolu said, "We need to get started on getting out of here right away. This world impacts the mind too, so it'll help you get your memories back."

"You're giving me a story with so many holes in it I could fall in and never get out..." Luke hissed, "Fine, we're trapped in a weird place. What do you want to do?"

"Well, reality's really distorted around us." the Riolu said, "I can get us out, but I need help."

" _He's not a great listener..._ "

"Lead the way." Luke accepted.

"Alright." the Riolu nodded, "We're going to step through this sort of gate to get to a different place."

"Where is it?" Luke asked.

"I can make them!" the Riolu smiled, "I'm able to control where we are here."

"Is that what happened earlier?" Luke asked.

"No, actually." the Riolu said, "That's just reality being weird. To get to the bends in reality, it's all on me."

The Riolu moved it's arms in a strange circular motion as lights started to erupt slowly from the ground. The lights were dim enough so that Luke could keep looking, even though they were growing brighter. The shape of the red lights made a circle with peculiar patterns and a larger orange light in the center. Incomplete circles also extended into the air and were spinning above it.

" _He clearly has a lot of control here somehow..._ "

"This is called a Magnagate!" the Riolu said, "It takes you to the bends in reality."

"And what exactly are they?" Luke asked.

"They're called mystery dungeons. Have you heard of the age of mystery dungeons?" the Riolu asked.

"The ancient past." the Buneary nodded, "What causes these here?"

"Well, creation's not unstable anymore to cause them, but there are certain beings in the world that have enough power to impact and make one." the Riolu explained, "The same pokemon trying to get me. And you."

"I don't want to go along with this without knowing what I'm getting myself into." Luke said.

"Look, long story short, this is the way out and it's dangerous here. I don't mean to be pushy, but we've got to get to a place I know." the Riolu said.

" _Fifty-fifty if I can trust him. Let's try it._ "

Luke nodded.

"Alright, let's go!"

The Riolu waved as he stepped into the Magnagate with Luke following. A huge light surrounded them as Luke squinted to see they're surroundings change quickly. The light dimmed as a forest was uncovered as the scenery.

"Just stay behind me for this one." the Riolu said, "I'll show you the basics as we go."

Luke nodded again as the pair started to move. The Riolu was moving swiftly enough for Luke to tell he was in a bit of a hurry.

"Enemy pokemon may appear sometimes, but they're not a concern." the Riolu nodded, "I'll handle all of them for now. Let me know if you see anything."

"Gotcha." Luke agreed.

Luke noticed a Gloom approaching from the Riolu's line of sight. The Riolu quickly dashed forward and jabbed it to send it flying into a tree with a hard impact. Luke cringed at the force until he noticed the Gloom seem to disappear.

" _Can't be real. They aren't rational... But what are those things then?_ "

"If you see a Magnagate, that's the way forward." the Riolu said, "Alright, let's keep going. This dungeon only has the one floor, so let me know when you see it.

Luke rubbed his eyes from the scenery. Although they were in a forest, there were constant walls around them.

" _Guess that's why it's a dungeon._ "

"Up ahead. Almost there!"

The Riolu and Buneary made a final rush to Magnagate. The Buneary stopped running as their surroundings changed again. Instantaneously, they were warped to the inside of a large room. The room was lit like strobe lights and the Buneary decided to keep his focus on the Riolu.

"Where are we now?" Luke asked.

"We're in an old government base from the ancient past." the Riolu said, "The way to get us back into the real world is here."

The Riolu pointed to a tall point in the room. Luke looked at the highest point to just see a small object pointing out of a rock.

"That thing there keeps us trapped here. We just have to pull it out, but I need someone strong." the Riolu said.

"What is it?" Luke asked, "I still don't know anything."

"This pokemon put a curse on us to trap us in this weird world." the Riolu said, "Look outside. Those are windows you know."

The Buneary's ears perked up as he looked outside surprised. Color were random and everywhere. Random cliffs were next to buildings, and different city ibjects were defying various rules of physics. The sight made his heartbeat rise in fear.

"It's really dangerous. A lot of things could go wrong just leaving this room. We can help each other find out who we were."

"Ok." Luke agreed, "Yah, I got it."

Luke quickly approached the are with shaky feet. Getting closer, he was able to make out older looking stairs. They were cracked all over, but Luke couldn't ascertain anything's true color in the weird lights.

He slowly grasped the handle with shaky hands and pulled it upwards. Although it was physically easy, the stress made Luke's chest burn.

As soon as he pulled it, his adrenaline spiked for some reason. His thoughts started racing before it overwhelmed him.

The Buneary rubbed his eyes on his backside. Looking upwards showed a normal blue sky and a brown wall next to him. Although his adrenaline spike felt like moments ago, he felt sleepy.

" _What..._ " the Buneary blinked, " _Ugh, was that a dream? Where am I?_ "

Luke used his arm to drag himself up off of the tree he was next to.

" _I owe you one. See you soon._ " Luke heard.

" _Wait, I don't have my memories... What the..._ "

Luke dragged himself off the ground and saw that he had a high elevation. Wind was kicking the trees as he looked down and off of a cliff-side to see a huge looking city.

"Cheese and crackers..." he uttered.


	39. Chapter 36: Code Name- White Star

With his fur down, Angelo did some stretches and exercise in his room waiting for the Leafeon Charlotte to come to his room.

" _I can't just go along without doing anything anymore. I need to be absolutely, undeniably, inescapably ferocious to take on a legendary pokemon in the tundra... I need to be able to move faster._ "

Although he had only worked for a few minutes, Angelo found himself sweating at the strain of sit-ups and push-ups in about ten or fifteen minutes. He stopped when he noticed his door opening.

"Oh, my." a Leafeon blinked, "I didn't expect a manly smell from you."

Angelo sighed and rolled his eyes as he turned to face the Leafeon.

"I have a couple of suggestions laid out, but it's mostly up to you for how you deal with the media." Charlotte said, "So, are you ready?"

"What are the suggestions?" Angelo asked.

"The suggestions are just a post with social media or a press conference. I personally think a post is the way to go..." Charlotte smiled, "I could help you write something."

"No..." Angelo shook his head, "I want a first impression that reflects what I could offer as a miracle rank agent."

"You want pokemon excited about you more?" Charlotte questioned, "That's a lot pf pressure, even for adults."

"There's a larger tournament tonight, right auntie?" Angelo asked.

Charlotte's face drooped down.

"Uhm, entering a tournament for a first impression is kind of rash..."

"I don't want to enter." Angelo said, "You know how the Association sometimes does showcases of agents facing off against all of the tourney entries?"

"Ah, of course." Charlotte nodded, "But we'd need a little more warning to make a list to have agents enter."

The Leafeon blinked looking at Angelo's unchanging face.

"Oh, my. That must be an awful lot of hormones in that decision-making..." Charlotte remarked, "You see, one on forty-eight isn't fun, it's funny."

"I've never actually tested myself before."

Charlotte looked at Angelo with a curious expression.

"I've never actually let completely loose, but I want that to be my first impression and this is the best way." Angelo said, "Just let me try."

"If you lose quickly it will look more on the embarrassing side..." the Leafeon sighed, And this isn't an average tournament. Lancelot would get stormed in your position in just under ten seconds."

"If you could show me how to attack long distances, I have a surefire technique to keep them off me." Angelo hinted.

"I know that much," Charlotte nodded, "But you're completely banking on yourself being able to keep up with the strength of forty-eight accomplished fighters that do it for sport every day. You're gifted, but you're not even old enough to have their level of experience. A post or comment can easily go much more smoothly. Just take a selfie or something..." she coaxed.

"They'll just think I look freaky if I do that..." Angelo whined, "Let me do something at least a little interesting."

"The whole reason pokemon know you exist right now is because you jumped of a tall building." Charlotte countered, "Trust me, you're good."

Angelo rolled his eyes and looked downwards.

"I'll go with a post later tonight." Angelo said.

"Alright," Charlotte nodded, "Just call me when you're ready."

Angelo agreed and awkwardly just stood there as Charlotte bowed out of the room.

" _I feel like... Like the planets just aligned or something. I'm doing this. I need to get to the computer than runs this stuff. Maybe dad's?_ "

Angelo left his room and stalked through the glassy hallways upstairs to the headquarters. He made sure to open the door carefully and peered inside. It was completely void of activity, but he was sure everyone was awake. He concluded they all probably left and continued walking briskly.

" _I don't know about what dad's room is like, or if I can even get into his computer. As the Overlord, he should definitely have access to stuff like this though._ "

Angelo looked around the lounge and hallways completely unaware of where the Dragonite's room was. He started to think harder when he didn't see any sign of a larger room.

" _Ok, my dad has certain points higher up in the building that he flies off from, like the hallway... It makes sense, with the speed he gains from the height he can react and go anywhere in Valor in matters of minutes. His room has to be the same way. When he first got me, he went in through the roof. His room has to be above me._ "

Angelo looked upwards while walking in circles wondering what to do.

"Well, you're determined."

Angelo jumped at the Leafeon waiting in the hallway into the lounge.

"Even inside our homes we have secrets." the Leafeon sighed, "Drama queens call it sad, but it's pretty cool... So, why the determination about this? What do you want?"

Angelo exhaled from his initial surprise.

"In order for a miracle rank to be successful, they need a strategy to significantly keep crime rates lower." Charlotte recalled, "What do you want out of your idea?"

"I don't want to be seen as most of the N.A. is." Angelo said.

Charlotte looked at him confused.

"Most of you guys are considered, like, jokes in terms of dealing with you and staying afloat with crime. Your basic members are known for always scaring easily and never acting on their own. The good higher level members are so less in number they don't have enough of an impact." Angelo complained, "And I don't want my brute force to even be a question."

Angelo pulled out his necklace from his fur and held it up close to his face.

"I want this symbol alone be able to send shivers though pokemon." Angelo growled, "What I want is for evil pokemon to lose all of their bravery And if everyone already respects the prowess of those tournament fighters, it's the perfect thing. I don't even have to win. All I'd need is a minute or two in the arena with them."

"Angelo, my problem isn't with your idea, it's the side effects." Charlotte sighed, "You could accidentally alienate yourself from other N.A. agents because they're scared of you too. Me and Lancelot don't want to you be lonely or have undeserved hate in your life. You've had more than enough."

"I don't know what do do about that." Angelo said.

"All this requires of you is to be a little more social in larger crowds in the coming days," Charlotte suggested, "But I want you to be comfortable, and you still have a habit of covering your corners when you're just walking down the hallway."

"I can handle it better than you think, at least." Angelo frowned.

"What I'm saying is that you'll need my help along the way." Charlotte sighed.

The Leafeon looked around quickly before approaching the wall with the television on it. She held up a card to the television screen and got a strange sound as a reaction. Angelo noticed a part of the wall slide open revealing a decently sized set of stairs upwards.

"He usually keeps this secret in case outsiders are inside headquarters, but you're no outsider... Just don't mess around on his computer without me." Charlotte smirked.

"Uhm..." Angelo choked, "O-ok."

Angelo followed Charlotte up the stairs. The stairs widened as they got further up until Angelo took in the whole room at once.

There was an enormous bed by a huge window overlooking the city. Looking at it made Angelo feel woozy. The sunrise made him feel warm, but the height was overwhelming to think about.

" _He... He jumps out of that, doesn't he..._ "

Angelo continued to look around and noticed that the room was kept intensely clean. The floor was a shining silver with everything appearing in place.

"I'll be setting you up on the computer." Charlotte said, "Feel free to look around."

Angelo's eyes had already been caught by something. There was a dresser near the bed with multiple picture frames on top.

"And don't make fun of my faces over there." Charlotte called, "And just so you know, your mother's whichever Eevee that looks crazier."

Angelo's mouth hung open lightly as he observed the pictures. The pictures skipped around different times of two Eevee's lives, with one of them looking much more energetic. The earliest had two eggs simply sitting beside each other.

" _Twins?_ "

"Mary had a huge amount of punk-rock to her, even though she was a scientist." Charlotte said, "Your dad loved it."

Angelo turned around to see Charlotte using a computer on the right wall coming in. Although its size made sense, Angelo anticipated it being much bigger than it was.

"I'm putting you on for exactly two minutes at the end." Charlotte said, "Most contestants won't be able to compete with your power at all being worn out."

"Are there any pokemon in particular I shouldn't let close to me?" Angelo asked.

"Well, I'm not the biggest fan of sports, but you should be able to tell. You have a pretty good understanding of what strength looks like." she complimented, "I think you can handle the rest from here, but talk to me the next chance you get after this is all done."

Charlotte seemed to finish her work on the computer as it started to shut down.

"Follow me back to my lab." Charlotte said, "I have a few tools you could use."

Angelo followed Charlotte while taking one last look around the room. Charlotte seemed to wait and then continue when Angelo's eyes locked with her's.

"What kind of tools?" Angelo asked.

"The kinds only you could ever use." Charlotte said, "They take a lot of bio-energy to use, but your mother wanted to develop them anyway to perhaps use for herself someday."

"What do they do?" Angelo asked.

"Well gee, Angelo. I couldn't exactly get them to work. How am I supposed to know?"

Angelo blinked.

The gray and white Flareon continued to follow Charlotte back down through the hallways. She led Angelo down stairs until they went into the large elevator again. Although they waited a few minutes, Angelo appreciated the elevator being completely empty.

When the pair arrived in the lab, Angelo was surprised at the huge increase of clear space. Most equipment looked like it was kept alongside the left window with a few exceptions, and the whole floor was visible like a training floor.

"Go stand over there. I'll bring them one at a time." Charlotte said.

Angelo nodded and obeyed. The first thing Charlotte brought out looked like a metal backpack with a bunch of slightly hanging wires and empty portions. The Leafeon's easy movement showed it didn't weigh much.

"It was designed with her own species in mind, so everything should work for you as far as fitting and having a useful function." Charlotte smiled, "Make sure you put just barely enough energy into it to make it work since we're in here."

"How do I put energy into this thing?" Angelo asked while putting it on his back.

"There are special receptors for it on the back." Charlotte said, "I haven't been able to figure out its purpose without seeing it in action."

"Ok, just to my back then..." Angelo nodded.

The Leafeon stepped back a few feet while Angelo started to focus. He could feel the receptors on his back while he focused on his energy.

"How does it feel?" Charlotte asked.

"It kind of feels like another limb to put bio-energy in." Angelo described, "Just, uhm, a completely numb limb."

"Makes sense." Charlotte observed, "Give it a boost."

Angelo slowly put energy into the strange looking object.

"Give it a bit more of a jump." Charlotte said.

Angelo did as instructed and felt himself jump up into the air. He waved around his legs confused before landing back down on his stomach with a bewildered look.

"Oh!" Charlotte exclaimed, "Wow, ok. Well the design makes a lot more sense now."

"Uhm, what happened to my legs?" Angelo asked sweating nervously.

"That device uses the bio-energy to create a force focused downwards. Looks like it could enable some degree of flight or increased airtime mobility..." Charlotte said, "Although Mary did have Lancelot with him at all times. It makes sense it's still just a clunky prototype. I'll make it a priority to slim this down for you."

The Leafeon unstrapped the weird device from Angelo's back and picked another device from a pile in the corner. The next one look like a hollow pipe with uneven length. It looked a lot slimmer with no wires visible.

"This goes on your arm." Charlotte explained, "Looks like you'd have to fight on three or two legs, but it seems like it'd function as a nice bat with how sturdy it is."

The Leafeon strapped the pipe device onto Angelo's arm as he stood on two legs. He swiveled it around to feel its weight as Charlotte backed away again.

"Focus on you arm and describe it for me." the Leafeon smiled.

"It feels kind of resistant." Angelo said, "I don't think I can pass bio-energy through it anywhere."

"Try experimenting with it." Charlotte suggested, "Maybe pass it out of your arm?"

Angelo focused more bio-energy into his arm and found it quickly started to build up in his hand. He aimed it up high and released it immediately. Although it wasn't loud, the bio-energy being launched and exploding in midair cause Charlotte to yelp.

"Sorry." Angelo apologized.

"It's fine, just wasn't expecting it." the Leafeon huffed, "At all. Seems like it would be in a pair with the device you just used."

"Uhm, are you alright auntie?" Angelo asked blinking.

"Yup." the Leafeon exhaled, "I think this is enough progress for one day. Besides, all of these tools are still mostly prototypes or old."

"Is there anything I need to bring?" Angelo asked.

"I'll be finishing up something I've made for you this evening." Charlotte nodded, "For now, you can prepare however you'd like. We'll be waiting until tonight to introduce you to my side of the family and Lancelot's cousin. Oh, and another guest as well..." Charlotte remembered, "And old friend of your father's..."

"I'm not sure how to get ready." Angelo admitted.

"Well, big crowds. Boost your confidence." Charlotte encouraged, "Go smile in a mirror, make a profile online, flirt with Hannah... Not too much or I'll kill her, but that should be your primary directive. Choking in battle out there would be a bit harsh."

"Uhm, I was thinking I could just take a nap..." Angelo sweat dropped, "Also, I though Hannah and I aren't supposed to flirt?"

"That's because Lancelot wants you to have more friendships before you get into anything," Charlotte explained, "But it's getting to be difficult because you two keep googly eyeing each other so obviously. I really need to teach Hannah some tact... Besides, Hannah misunderstood Lancelot. You two can go googly eyes as much as you want, he just doesn't want you two exclusive yet."

"Sounds, uhm, complicated." Angelo sighed.

"Well you better study up." Charlotte laughed, "That girl is a ten by ten rubik's cube, even to me. Go get some rest however you want to now."

"I think I'll just take a nap. I'm a bit tired." Angelo said.

"Alright, I'll find you in a few hours." Charlotte nodded.

Angelo took a nap for about an hour in his room before he woke up. Waking up to surprises in the morning left him feeling slow before he slept, but he started to feel more flexible as he started to stretch out in his bed.

" _Maybe I should have me and Hannah try to watch movies in here... Well, she seemed to want her room. Now then, my fur..._ "

Angelo checked himself in the mirror again. His fur was frizzy everywhere giving him a puffy look and the fur on his head was matted a bit. He immediately took out his gadget and texted Hannah.

" _If you're free, could you help me with my fur?_ " Angelo texted.

Angelo continued to stare at his fur begrudgingly until he heard a knock on his door a moment later. The Cinccino came through the doors again with an urgent expression.

"What do you need help with?" Hannah asked.

"It's nothing too important," Angelo said, "It's just for how I should have my fur. I'm going out for a tiny bit later."

"I think it looks fine." Hannah remarked, "It's just matted in the front a tiny bit from you sleeping."

"Is being frizzed alright?" Angelo asked.

"Of course it is!" Hannah smiled, "It looks positively... Scrumptious."

Angelo blinked.

"So, is there anything else about your appearance you want to talk about?" Hannah asked.

"N-no, I was just concerned." Angelo smiled awkwardly.

"Alright." Hannah nodded, "Still fine for tonight?"

"Yah." Angelo nodded.

"Cool! Leave all the snacks to me."

Hannah left a couple moments after, seemingly busy. Angelo continued to focus on stretching and warming himself up until he decided to research the competitors on his computer. Although he'd never used it before, it was easy to do a search and find the answers.

" _I don't really recognize these names since I don't follow it that much, but, uhm... I do recognize dad's name. Well this is weird._ "

Angelo clicked off the computer and turned it off after he went down the whole list. He went back to his bed and laid on his back staring at the ceiling.

" _I don't know much about dad considering our previous fights were just for him to know me better... But word of mouth says he's a brawler on the cruder side of fighting. He'll bash anyone with anything around him. I kept it basic before, but I'm much more acrobatic and flexible. I can't be too physically aggressive against him until five seconds before it ends. Not too sure I'd last longer than that._ "

Angelo looked down at his arms and legs while pacing back and forth. He couldn't help but compare them to the relative size of the Dragonite's. Angels always seemed on a separate league in terms of combat power. Angelo remembered seeing the Victine Anne a couple of years ago during a pick pocketing session. Not a single pokemon she caught pick pocketing escaped.

Although Angelo was fine, he still had seething rage over all of it. It wasn't towards Anne, or even the pokemon that forced him out that day. He started to get angrier than ever that he was 'born' where he was. That easily translated into hating the Nightlight tower trying to rescue him. Being apart of it now didn't make him feel any better.

It made him feel sick to his stomach that he's only getting treated well because of who his father was. As much as he found respect for his dad and the branch's work, he didn't like the fact the Shinx Jonthan wasn't with him yet. He would be angry if they didn't give much of a reason.

"Heeeeey."

Angelo shifted to see the Leafeon walk slowly into his room.

"I won't keep you long. Just giving you this."

Angelo noticed the Leafeon unfurl a huge white cloth that she laid out on the bed carefully. Angelo couldn't help but think it was a blanket.

"It's a cape." Charlotte explained, "Nightlight agents in public usually wear a sort of banner of the group they are a part of. If you're like Lancelot, it could become iconic like his golden gauntlet he wears. I thought a cape would suit you."

"A cape?" Angelo blinked, "Seems, uhm, strange for me."

"Yes, well..." Charlotte smiled, "I started a mission a couple months back to find a certain pokemon."

"A certain pokemon?" Angelo asked.

"Yes." Charlotte nodded, "He was mostly called 'the thief prince'. We researched further to find the contrary of what we expected from the title. We quickly discovered the pokemon was far from aggressive. Over some time, we collected some deeper information about what the pokemon's true feelings were using spies and other methods. We watched to see what this pokemom's life was like."

Charlotte revealed her Nightlight gadget that completely looked like a card. It operated completely by a touch screen and she pulled up a video of sorts.

Angelo felt his heart start to race as he realized what it was.

The video showed Angelo as an Eevee coming between rapid attacks using different moves. The attacks quickly diminished to nothing as opposing groups realized his sudden presence.

"What is this about?" Angelo's voice rang, "What's your problem?"

"Caught these things stealing our grub!" an Elekid spat.

"Our turf, our grub!" a Magmar retorted.

"Your turf!?" an Electrode snorted, "You-"

"Shut up, Henry!" Angelo ordered, "They're obviously only hungry. Take a look."

The white Eevee turned back and forth as the groups looked at each other still breathing heavily.

"Take what you need and go." the white Eevee huffed.

The video cut out and another one started. The white Eevee was on a Ludicolo's shoulder. The video was somehow captured with an angle showing their faces.

The Ludicolo and white Eevee passed by a small fruit stand while the Ludicolo effortlessly waved his hand over it. The white Eevee took a single claw and scratched it across the Ludicolo's back.

"Rg!" the Ludicolo flinched. They continued to pass by the stand unnoticed.

"What is wrong with you?" the Ludicolo hissed.

"That lady was as poor as you are, and she's no pickpocket. Next cut's on the neck."

The video changed again showing the white Eevee simply sitting on a cushion in a room. The silence of the room revealed there was no one else inside.

"Hey, you got a sec?" a male voice asked.

" _That Marshtomp was a Nightlight..._ " Angelo realized.

The video showed Angelo agree as the Marshstomp sat.

"You know, a lot of pokemon here get irritated by you managing how they work and all." the Marshtomp said, "Sup with it?"

"It's already obvious we don't exactly help anyone but ourselves. I'm just softening the impact of that as much as possible." Angelo replied.

"Why does it matter to you?" the Marshtomp asked, "Is it guilt?"

"There are some things you can't just do and stay as the same being with the same ideals." Angelo said, "It doesn't matter what happens to me. Some things in life are more important."

The video ended.

"We have a lot more..." Charlotte smirked, "A whole lot more. The N.A. exists to help pokemon overcome everything they can't control in their lives. We didn't know you would be Lancelot's son, but it's no mistake we worked with Jonathan to bring you here for a new home. You earned the right to be up here, not your dad. The white star isn't Lancelot's son. It's you."

The Leafeon completely unfurled the white cloth on the bed.. Angelo realized it had a completely new symbol on it. The star was outlined in blue on the white cloth and had the angel wings on each side of it. Angelo's insides shook at the sight.

"There were a bunch of complications, but I had this knitted for you a long while ago. Before I knew you were my nephew. The pure respect of one pokemon for another, of a Nightlight born and bred to a prince of thieves." Charlotte said, "It's a good thing I realized you had a lot of bio-energy too, otherwise it would have ripped apart at you wearing it." she smiled.

Angelo shook his head.

"Mm. No. You don't understand."

"Angelo?"

The Leafeon moved over by Angelo as he looked downwards shivering.

"I'm not clean like that scarf. If you watched me, don't you know how I act?" Angelo exasperated.

"So you're a bit of a shut-in." Charlotte sighed, "It's not about having a clean past, but a bright future."

Angelo stared at the cloth silently.

"What's on your mind?" Charlotte asked.

"Why haven't I seen Jonathan yet?" Angelo asked.

"The Heliolisk or Shinx?" Charlotte asked.

"Shinx." Angelo nodded.

"He evolved and broke it out." Charlotte blurted, "Well, uhm, yeah."

"What." Angelo blinked with wide eyes.

"First break out in twenty-five years... He was really empowered or something. I don't know how it all happened. The only thing we learned was that his real name was Diondre."

"When did this happen!?" Angelo half-screamed.

"Around when I was getting burned by big, white, and menacing... Oh, uh, no offense." Charlotte sweat dropped, "His trail is out cold. I have a feeling you're the only pokemon he'd approach, so keep your eyes open when you're in the field."

"I don't like this at all." Angelo said, "He wouldn't just move away from me, even if he could get out. I wish you guys had told me earlier."

"I wanted to, blame your dad."

Angelo blinked.

"Well, we've had a lot of things to stress about you with... We still don't know what happened between that legendary pokemon and you. We're all still pretty stressed about that. I mean, it caused you to just sleep non-stop for days..." Charlotte sighed.

"Just because I have problems doesn't mean I can ignore the problems of my friends, my family. I have to handle both to keep them. Even if dad tells you to, don't keep me out of stuff like this anymore." Angelo said, "It's important."

"Well, he'll have more confidence in a couple hours. I'm putting betting money on you." Charlotte smiled, "No one knows you're scheduled but me, so it'll be priceless..."

"Assuming I win." Angelo chimed.

"I'm a lady of science, and I calculate you'll win." she nodded, "Ta-ta."

Angelo looked back down at the cloth while Charlotte left. He was still shaking to the bone with excitement and drive.

" _Mhm. Yup. Not jumping next time._ "


	40. Chapter 37: The Arc Blessing

Luke headed down into the city and immediately pinged as a lost child. He was honest only about having no memory, but didn't describe his shivering experience.

Over just two days, a family picked him out. Luke's respectful and quiet demeanor made him easy to work with. He definitely wasn't expecting the situation he was put into.

His new foster family was rich. From what he knew, they owned a couple of buildings and business in central Valor. Luke was registered with their last name of Paula as soon as the foster home found out they wanted him.

Luke went outside of the facility to see a group of pokemon outside in the street in the evening. A Mienshao and Hariyama were looking on together at Luke. Besides the two were a Mankey, Hitmontop, Machop, and Riolu were all near the group as well talking among themselves. Luke blinked seeing the male Riolu, but it wasn't the same one he met earlier. It's fur was a slight amount shorter.

From what Luke could tell, all of the other pokemon were older than him. They all seemed to be teenagers with the Hitmontop looking like a young adult.

Luke was encouraged to speak to them while he walked home. They kept him involved in the conversation, but didn't force it to be all about him. It felt natural talking to them, but he still felt kind of weird about it.

Luke learned that he would be going to a middle school about two miles away from where the family lived, which was a plainer looking building in the city. The inside was positively ornate and glowing cleanly. Every respective room looked like it was straight out of an advertisement. Luke's new room was far from an exception.

The female Mienshao opened his doors and introduced Luke to his new room. It was small with ornate wooden walls and soft light blue carpet. The room was stylized to feel artistic. Luke's bed frame was wooden and engraved with roses at the base.

"Ravishing, isn't it?" the Mienshao smiled, "I'll be making dinner soon. You can go on ahead and get settled. We bought you a few basic gifts and have them on the bed. We bough you a phone, made you some house keys, things like that."

"Thanks." Luke said, "I'll be ready."

Luke enjoyed being more of a listener when dinner started. It was mostly informal with the group of them sitting down in the same area watching television. Luke was on the couch next to his small playe with the Machop and Mienshao while the rest were walking about or sitting on the soft floor

"You should've seen what was on earlier." the Riolu said to Luke, "The mon, the myth, the legend."

"I don't really follow sports that much... Uhm, from what I remember." Luke said.

"Well, it's a little beyond sports." the Hitmontop explained, "I'm sure you've learned about our government first back there?"

The Buneary nodded.

"There's been a rumor about the Nightlight's Overlord having a son he lost many years back." the Hitmontop said, "They decided to introduce him with his own special event battling against a lot of tourney participants."

"He blew up half the arena floor with his first attack." the Riolu's tail wagged, "The only pokemon he was stopped by was his dad. It was so ridiculous."

"Positively astounding." the Mienshao chimed.

"I've faced ol Lancelot back in my prime." the Hariyama said, "That kid's a beast. An absolute beast. They're still going to release more details later tonight."

"Oh no." the Mienshao hushed, "They need their rest for school tomorrow. It can wait for the morning."

"I wish I could fight the white star." the Machop smirked, "He looks insane too. Dripping that swagger."

"It wouldn't be possible to get near him for a long period of time." the Mankey said, "His bio-energy was so intense, being too close to him was risky. Bio-energy is usually just used for moves and muscles, but his was overflowing out of his body. I doesn't even make that much scientific sense... A normal body couldn't produce more than it can hold."

"Lots of pokemon look forward to seeing him as a new miracle rank." the Mienshao said, "I just hope he doesn't damage our buildings with how far he can jump and all."

"Pretty sure the white star was a girl." the Hariyama said.

"What are you talking about?" the Machop asked, "Did you see the shape of his muscles? That's definitely probably a dude."

"That's an awful lot of beauty for a dude." the Hitmontop chuckled.

"It was definitely a boy." the Mankey said, "But yes, he was stunning. And don't look at me weird, we're all thinking it."

Luke gave a giggle.

"Awwwwwwwww!" the Mienshao squeaked giving Luke a small hug.

"You better head off to bed." the Hariyama suggested, "First days are the worst."

"There's no need to scare the poor thing, Harry." the Mienshao said, "Everything will go swimmingly. We picked a school that has no tolerance for bullying and a great community."

"It's great. Only flaw is that it's a school." the Machop smirked.

Positive attitude." the Mienshao hissed.

"Uh, it's great." the Machop said, "You get to meet others, and uhm, learn stuff that's... Important. Yeah. That."

"Just relax about everything, Luke." the Mankey advised, "No need for stress about it."

"Thanks." Luke nodded, "I'll be fine."

"I think we should all go to bed." the Mienshao announced, "Busy in our own rights."

The area got a tad more busy and everyone went off to get ready for bed. Luke washed himself up for a decent amount of time before he finally went back to his room. The bed felt foreign, but it was extremely soft. Luke got accustomed to it easily.

"Hey there. It's time to wake up."

Luke was startled into sitting up. He rubbed his eyes and blinked.

"Time for school." the Mienshao smiled.

The house was surprisingly relaxed while everyone was getting ready. The Mienshao and Hariyama were both going to walk Luke to school the first time so he knew where to go.

It was much more simple than Luke thought it would be. He was already signed up and settled in terms of paperwork, and simply had to talk into the school and class. He was confident he could find his class with the rectangular shape of the building. Of the hallways were connected and had an easy pattern to follow.

Luke parted with a short hug with the Mienshao and found his classroom easily. He didn't seem to be noticed when he took a spot, which he enjoyed a great amount.

Luke was relieved to get little introduction. With it being the first day of school, he didn't get any unique treatment. Most of the day was simply class introductions and remembering teacher names. The work they all described sounded really easy to him, but he made a mental note not to underestimate the time it would take.

With the first day being a half day, Luke walked in and out without having to talk to any other student, and barely any other teacher.

Luke was greeted by the Mienshao again after school ended. As they were walking home, Luke asked what he should do for the rest of the day.

"Well, how about you try visiting the park? They have events there for students after school on the first day of classes. I think it'd be great for you." she suggested, "It's on the way home."

"I don't really think that sounds, uhm, inviting." Luke sighed, "I'd rather just learn more about this country first..."

"You probably already know more than average. Would you like me to go with you?" she offered.

"Oh, gee wilickers..." Luke frowned.

The Mienshao laughed.

"Run along then."

Luke obeyed and went to walk around a little bit aimlessly in the park. He could see an obvious gathering of kids around his age, but desperately wanted to avoid it. Luke looked around at the crowd and felt a little bit out of place. Most of the other pokemon there looked completely relaxed.

" _Jeepers... Ok, where's someone I could..._ "

Luke noticed an odd looking pokemon watching the park from a tree. Although there were plenty of other pokemon relaxing in trees, this pokemon stood out to Luke at least. It had a yellow head that seemed to look like a sort of helmet, two oddly shaped tails with small red gems in the ends of them, and stared with its eyes closed.

" _Erm... Why isn't anyone else looking at all? I don't know his species at all..._ "

Luke saw the pokemon slowly go down from the tree and approach him with a neutral look.

"H..." Luke huffed.

"Did you see that Riolu?" the pokemon asked.

"Uhm, that Riolu?" Luke's eyes lit up.

The pokemon smiled.

"Allow me to enlighten you. Care to join me?" the pokemon gestured to the tree.

Luke nodded. Luke sat next to the pokemon by the base of the tree. Because of a hill, they were overlooking the activities happening with the younger pokemon below. Lots of them looked rowdy and didn't really attract Luke.

"Everyone else right now sees me as a Pikachu." the pokemon said, "So, that's why I don't really draw much attention. I am a Uxie, and you may address me as such."

"Alright, Uxie." Luke nodded, "So, do you know anything about what happened at all?"

"That pokemon was sealed there for a long time in that surreal place." Uxie answered, "His escape was inevitable. I'd appreciate your assistance in a few matters regarding him."

"Well, what is he?" Luke asked.

"I'm afraid I don't know the true answer." Uxie puffed, "The being takes many different forms. I would like to train alongside you for this oncoming threat. You see, he has a very negative influence on other pokemon. Very malevolent being."

"How do you know?" Luke questioned, "He seemed just a bit weird to me. I still don't really know you, either."

"Well, you could say I've been around a long while." Uxie hinted, "I could perhaps show you something else to spur your resolve. You have something large to gain from this special training. Unfortunately, we can only begin inside of a mystery dungeon."

"But... Those places are creepers..." Luke shivered, "Felt like half of a dream."

"Well, do you know what a Magnagate is?" Uxie asked.

"Well, I've seen one." Luke said.

"If you see another one, it will be me." Uxie smiled, "They are always out of any form of sight, so approach one when you see it and I can show you more."

"But... How are you going about placing them anyways?" Luke asked.

"I can control Magnagates to a great degree. Simply go to any that you see, and it is guaranteed safe from eyes. You have a good day, Luke Paula."

The mysterious pokemon left politely after the short was left feeling antsy as he kept looking down at the other pokemon. It looked like they were doing a tug of war between two larger groups.

" _I'll pass..._ "

Luke stayed under the tree a while before leaving back for home feigning tiredness to the Mienshao and Hariyama. After getting home, he went out a couple of times on walks with the others in the house for fresh air. He got to know them a little better with their hobbies being the topic of conversation. They seemed to do a decent amount together, and they simply went around the city doing whatever activity they felt like doing.

When it became sunset, they went back home and had another normal dinner. The conversation was of course different from yesterday, but was a continuation.

Luke was shown the footage from the other night in an arena on their television. A gray and white Flareon rampaged against the contestants after the tourney ended. The sheer force of his attacks was constantly blowing back attacking contestants into waves of fire. When they paused for just a few seconds, the Flareon went on the attack while his body lit up to be a bright glowing white. His body became hard to distinguish.

"I would dare to say there is no stronger pokemon alive." the Hariyama nodded, "Lancelot was the only one able to sustain the attacks, and he's world famed for his strength. Coupled with his young age, it's certainly historic."

"You know what we should do" the Mienshao smiled, "We should have you set up a short time to meet Lancelot, dear. He'd be glad to see you again."

The Hariyama seemed to think for a short moment.

"Bah, maybe in a few months. He's got to be busy right now, of course." the Hariyama decided, "But certainly before year's end."

Luke went back to his room earlier than the others, but they all followed suite shortly after.

Luke tossed and turned not feeling tired with a racing mind.

" _C'mon, remember something. It's all so hazy every time I try to think about before..._ "

Luke sat awake in his bed for a couple of minutes before noticed a familiar red light growing around him. He was lightly surprised, but started to get used to the weird feeling.

"Hey."

Luke closed his eyes to keep himself from getting confused until the weird feeling passed. Uxie stood with his hands behind his back with a patient look. It looked like they were in a huge, peaceful plain with no trees in sight. The sky was suspiciously blue and didn't have a single cloud.

"Quite well?" Uxie asked.

"Uhm, yah." Luke answered, "You, uhm, wanted to show me stuff?"

"Indeed." Uxie nodded, "You have a special power here. I will show it to you and explain it."

"What is it?" Luke asked with a sigh.

"It is known as the Arc blessing.." the Uxie said, "I want you to try just punching the air with as much force as you can."

Luke nodded. He drew back his arm and flung it forward stiffly with a punch. The attack kicked up wind and made dirt fly in the air slightly. Luke covered his eyes quickly before looking back. IT wasn't that strong, but was much more than he expected.

"The Arc blessing is a combination of bloodlines. You know about the state of our world right now?" Uxie asked, "The three countries."

"Uhm, yah." Luke nodded, "All on the same large continent and monarchies. The three superpowers of the world. Do you mean the monarchies bloodline?"

"Indeed." Uxie nodded, "Valor, Verity, and Maroon. You are not allowed to use this information, but Maroon's true name is Acuity. Each bloodline comes with a blessing of power that increases the strength of pokemon."

"Wait, do you know about that Flareon?" Luke asked.

"Of course." Uxie smiled, "His mother had an outlier amount of huge bio-energy, which caused the Acuitan blessing to take the strongest form yet seen in him. That's the truth to that boy's power, but he's not aware of the Acuitan blessing or his true status. But, that is beside the point." Uxie continued, "The Arc blessing is a combination of the three. It does not function in the real world without intense training, and once used allows the pokemon to use the power of the leader of the legendary pokemon."

"What pokemon is that?" Luke asked, "And how on earth did the bloodlines cross for me?"

"The pokemomn is called Arceus. I'm afraid our enemy has obscured your past, so I am unable to answer you last question." Uxie frowned.

"Jeepers, so I'm like... Really really royal? Or is it really really really royal?" Luke asked.

"Pretty much." Uxie grinned, "Extra royalty for this one."

"So, what do I need to do for the Arc blessing?" Luke asked.

"Training here in different mystery dungeons." Uxie nodded, "I'll be creating some challenges for you to increase your adeptness with the Arc blessing, which will eventually translate into the real world. I'm afraid I might be quite stressful on these first couple of months for you, however... We have a quota to reach."

"What is it?" Luke asked.

"We need for you to be able to strike once at full strength with the Arc blessing in the real world by the twenty-first of December. After that, we can have a more lax schedule, but I'm afraid it will be quite bad for a little while. Today is the twenty-eighth of August, and I have a tight schedule set for you."

"I can handle it." Luke nodded," But, uhm, what do you need it for?"

"I'll tell you later." the Uxie smiled, "You seem quite trusting of all of this."

"Errrm..."

" _Why do I trust him?_ " Luke wondered, " _I mean, I never trusted that Riolu at all, but I know him about the same amount right now. It's not how they look, either..._ "

"Simply get a good night's rest for now. Sleep well." the Uxie smiled.

Luke found himself standing back on his bed moments later. He looked around still thinking a bit before going to sleep.


	41. Chapter 38: Diondre

The streets felt like they had an extra chill to the Luxio who walked on them. He looked around place to place to find food to eat. Although he felt forced to steal some small food items, he usually did small jobs to have other citizens give him a meal before he moved on.

It started to get pretty easy to lose track of what day it was. He very much preferred to keep outside of the city like he was used to. Being in the city naturally would draw attention to him anyways.

One day, he started to feel hunger pains the made it harder to move. He hadn't eaten in about two days by that point. Feeling a little desperate, he started to head into the direction of the city. Just as the buildings grew taller, he suddenly started to feel even worse.

" _Not good. Not good..._ "

The Luxio waddled to the side of the street and slumped down onto his stomach. He looked around another time before closing his eyes and thinking.

" _I need help. I can't even do anything. I can't make a trade, or even steal something to get by. I just straight up need help. Not good. Where should I go..._ "

Diondre was tapped lightly on his shoulder.

"Hey, you alright there partner?" a female voice asked.

Diondre looked up and blinked at a Jolteon looking down at him.

"Do you have water?" Diondre asked with a scratchy voice.

"Yah. Just a sec." she nodded.

Diondre was given a bowl of water that he drank slowly with increasing speed. When he was done after a minute he gave an audible sigh.

"Thanks..." Diondre said.

"No sweat." the Jolteon said, "Uhm, how old are you?"

"Uh, fourteen." Diondre answered.

" _She looks about my age. I wonder what she's thinking, but..._ "

"Do you know anyway to get food around?" Diondre asked

"Uhm, there are plenty of restaurants around." the Jolteon answered.

"I'm a stray, I don't have money." Diondre shook his head, "Anything else?"

The Jolteon seemed to think for a moment.

"I appreciate your help, but I really need to find something." Diondre said, "Thanks for the help, miss."

Diondre turned back to the street.

"Wait, hang on." the Jolteon got the Luxio's attention, "My parents own a restaurant. We could use some extra help, and you can have all you can eat."

"You don't want my face around for too long. It's trouble." Diondre sighed.

"You can relax about it. We're a small place." the Jolteon reasoned.

" _Mmph..._ "

Diondre blinked thinking about it. His stomach felt just the smallest bit better thinking about food being on the way.

"Alright." Diondre nodded, "Just for a little while."

For the rest of that day, Diondre worked cleaning up out back and ate as much as he wanted. When the day ended, Diondre left the restaurant and the Jolteon, Sarah, on good terms.

However, the next day Diondre came back completely stricken with weariness. They gladly accepted him again, and the process repeated itself for another day after that until it became a joke.

Diondre got to know Sarah and her mother, an Ampharos, a bit better. Their slang was from outside of Valor where they used to live on a farm until a couple of months ago. Diondre stayed there for a decent few days until he started to think about the length he had been there.

Diondre approached Sarah one quiet evening and told Sarah that it was time for him to leave. The small comfy store was still open, but empty during the later hours.

"Just, no." the Jolteon murmured, "I mean, where would you even go, Diondre? From what you'e told me so far, you don't have any family. It's great with you here."

"I just... Can't. I come with all sorts of trouble, alright?" Diondre sighed.

"Anything's worth it for ya. Stay." she pleaded.

Diondre backed up a little as the Jolteon approached him further. He felt his face grow a bit hot as she stared right at him.

"Alright..." Diondre rolled his eyes looking away.

Later that night as they were closing up, the Jolteon approached the Luxio again while he was waiting by the door.

"You know, you never told me any hobbies or anything." Sarah inquired.

"Don't really have any." Diondre answered.

"Seems to me like you do." Sarah said, "I mean, you're just a little bit too toned if you know what I mean."

"Uhm, you're just seeing things there." Diondre smiled nervously, "I just know a few self-defense things."

"You know what." the Jolteon said, "Tomorrow's a Saturday. Let's go out, and you can teach me some stuff?"

"Yes." Diondre jumped, "Uhm, sure. Nothing really going on."

" _Dang it... Sounded way to peppy._ "

"Sounds good." the Jolteon agreed, "Let's meet here tomorrow morning... Oh, and that reminds me, where have you been staying?"

"I've found a good place for the nights." Diondre shrugged off, "No need to worry."

"Uhm, under a bridge..." she winced.

" _Crap, I was being followed..._ " Diondre realized.

"We know a good hotel for you." the Jolteon offered, "You deserve to be as clean as those dishes."

"Wow, uh. Thanks." Diondre gleamed.

Diondre was walked by the pair all the way to his hotel room before they wished him good night. Diondre was completely taken aback by how good the room looked. It had a tad of classiness to it he had only seen on shows before. Although he knew it was more or less normal, he felt appreciated the whole night.

In the morning, the Luxio made sure to stir himself early so that he could be on time. He cleaned himself up one last time before leaving out the door again. He made his way back and was a little startled to see the Jolteon already outside waiting for him. Although they never agreed on a specific time, he was hoping to arrive first.

The Jolteon noticed he was coming and smiled.

"Heya." the Jolteon greeted.

"Hey, Sarah." Diondre replied, "So, whatcha wanna do?"

"Self-defense. I've been meaning to go learn it." she smiled, "There's this dojo a little closer in. That alright?"

"Yah, yah. I'm fine with anything." Diondre agreed, "Lead the way."

The Luxio followed the Jolteon closely side by side . After the first two or three minutes, Diondre started to ask about some buildings to make small talk.

"Do you know what that building is there?" Diondre gestured. The building had an open inside with smooth wooden floors.

"Looks like a yoga place... I'm usually just calm on my own. How bout you?"

"Not really sure. I don't usually think about it." Diondre said.

"Well, my ma has an old fashioned way of telling." the Jolteon remarked, "Hold one of your arms straight out."

The Luxio stopped walking and did as instructed as the Jolteon looked closely at it.

"That's real shaky... Diondre, are you alright?"Sarah asked.

"It's probably just because it's a tad chilly this morning." Diondre reasoned, "I hurt my arms when I was younger as well."

"Oh really?" the Jolteon remarked, "Tell me about it."

"I'll spare you the story." Diondre smirked, "I think it'd be a bit much for those ears, anyways."

"I've heard some pretty bad things, no mistaking it." Sarah said.

"Ah, maybe later." Diondre said, "So, why are you wanting to learn self-defense?"

"I want to do research work at the N.A. when I grow up, but they have a few standards I need to pass before they'd let me in." she said.

"Their standards are usually considered to be pretty tough." Diondre said, "You sure you're up to it?"

"Well, I got to be." she nodded, "It's the whole reason we moved here in the first place, but it's become real thorn in my side."

"It'll take more practice than a day depending on how you are right now. but I'll show you a good path."Diondre said confidently.

"Appreciated, partner. We should be coming up on it now..."

Diondre was surprised by how the dojo initially looked. It was reminiscent of the other building he had pointed out earlier with open space, but had darker colors of wood on the floor giving it a tougher air.

"Who runs the dojo?" Diondre asked.

"I think the name of it is the Paula family?" Sarah said, "The pokemon in charge used to be a high ranking Nightlight agent."

"So, have you been here before?" Diondre asked.

"No, just heard about it." Sarah answered.

The pair walked in quietly watching a strong looking Hitmonlee practicing attacks. The Jolteon looked stunted while the Luxio watched her expression.

" _Must really want it. Eh, she'll be fine._ "

A Hariyama approached and slightly tilted the Hitmonlee's stance before he continued.

"Let's go ask that Hariyama." Sarah suggested, "Maybe he knows what I should do to train for stuff like this."

"Yah, of course." Diondre nodded.

The Luxio followed the Jolteon to the front where the Hariyama was Luxio stood patiently while the Jolteon asked questions that he could have answered.

Diondre continued to observe the Hitmonlee practice and nodded in silent approval.

" _Decent core. Not bad at all. Maybe I should try here..._ "

"Thank you so much. I really appreciate it." Sarah said.

"No problem, little miss." the Hariyama nodded, "That youngin behind you has an air of strength."

"That Hitmonlee's really strong." Sarah agreed turning back.

"I agree, but not exactly who I meant." the Hariyama chuckled.

The Jolteon's ears rose as she looked at the Luxio.

"You mean him?" Sarah turned and asked, "How can you tell?"

"Look at that posture," the Hariyama directed, "Perfectly straight, and he walked in here methodically. He knows how to handle his body to the fullest, a real high class fighter I'd to tell much other than that. Family member?"

"No," Sarah whispered, "We think he's a stray. Really sweet."

"Little lady, you report things like this to the Association." The Hariyama suggested quietly.

"Just need a bit longer to find out where he's from..." Sarah whispered, "It's fine."

"Hey, Sarah?" Diondre turned.

"Yes?" Sarah nodded.

"Maybe we should go watch a small tourney to help." Diondre reasoned, "There's a small one going on in an hour or two, and the arena isn't that far."

"A well thought idea." the Hariyama nodded, "I recommend you get going straight away."

"Thanks." Sarah said, "Alright, let's head out."

The Luxio started to follow Sarah again as they left the building. The morning air was starting to lose its chill when they left out. He did not enjoy not being able to see the sky that well. The Jolteon seemed to notice a bit.

"You alright there?" Sarah asked.

"Yah, I'm all set." Diondre nodded.

Once they arrived, Sarah handled paying for watching the the event. Diondre felt a bit sour afterward as they were heading down hallways to the stands. Sarah noticed again, but didn't say anything this time.

When the pair reached the stands, Diondre just looked down at the arena floor stunted by what it looked like.

"Charred black all over different places because of the white star." Sarah explained, "You know about that, right?"

"Yah, I knew." Diondre nodded, "Just hadn't seen this."

Diondre waited as the stands around them filled slightly. It was far from crowded with them being the only pokemon in their row.

Diondre unintentionally started to nap about a quarter of the way through the small tourney. He was left completely undisturbed until the Jolteon tapped him on his shoulder.

"The tourney's all done." Sarah giggled.

"Oh, shoot." Diondre blinked, "Sorry."

"It's fine, but I'm just surprised you weren't as impressed as I was." Sarah remarked, "So, tell me honestly. How tough are you?"

"I'm just alright." Diondre said, "It seriously isn't what your imagining. I'm pretty average."

"Y'know, for some reason I just can't believe ya." Sarah rolled her eyes smiling

"Well, hard to change whether you believe me or not." Diondre shrugged, "You have my word for it, though."

"Well, I think you're just trying to be humble about it." Sarah said, "But I'll give it to you. Wanna get somethin to eat?"

"Yah." Diondre smiled.

Diondre followed Sarah to a much busier restaurant in city. It was definitely a larger building than the Luxio was used to, and seemed a bit higher class to him. The Jolteon seemed to know the restaurant decently with how she greeted the pokemon who worked there. The Luxio gave a sigh when they finally sat down.

"The pokemon here work a lot with my mom." Sarah explained, "She used to be their supplier, but because of surplus she works with them differently now."

"Sounds a little tough on the wallet." Diondre said.

"You can only be so poor and well-fed." she shrugged, "We were fine. Real fine. We really only came because I wanted to do research here someday."

"So, what exactly are you hoping to research?" Diondre asked.

The Luxo shifted in his chair at glances from other pokemon while they say. The Jolteon didn't seem to notice thinking about his question.

"Well, most of all bio-energy." Sarah decided, "The N.A. is really lacking in studying it right now from what I hear. The only big name is Charlotte Evergreen when it comes to researching it."

"Seems like that would change given, uhm, recent events." Diondre said.

"Well, the white star is interesting, sure." Sarah nodded, "But there's no way he can be figured out because it's not natural."

"So, you're stumped on him then?" Diondre asked.

"I mean, aren't you?" Sarah responded.

" _I mean, I knew he'd be strong..._ " Diondre thought, " _But, geez..._ "

"Well, hard to say. We really don't know the limits of a pokemon's power as well as we might think." Diondre said, "Besides, maybe that pokemon had some sort of tool or something."

"Well, I'll let you know whenever I find out." Sarah smirked, "Whatcha have a taste for?"

"Not sure." Diondre said, "I'll actually get whatever you get. We haven't disagreed on how good something is yet."

The Luxio and Jolteon ate slowly talking for the most part. Diondre found his face hurting from smiling so much and had to rub it in circles awkwardly sometimes. Sarah laughed at him repeatedly for it.

"Hey, Sarah." Diondre said, "I really think I should leave soon. For you."

"I think yer just being over-dramatic." the Jolteon laughed slightly, "Just stay a while. I love having you around."

"Listen, it's not really a matter of choice." Diondre argued, "It's what I have to do. It's... Dangerous."

"Diondre, if you told me what you mean it'd be easy to deal with." Sarah said, "Is someone harassing you?"

The Luxio accidentally made a face that answered yes.

"Why don't we just call the N.A.?" Sarah asked, "It'll be easy for them."

"They can't deal with it." Diondre said.

"Why not?" Sarah asked, "Tell me more."

"I'd prefer that you don't know." Diondre said, "Look, just trust me. Ok?"

Although it took a few moments, the mood lightened again. For the rest of the day the pair took off to different eateries and shops while talking the whole time.

Eventually, the Luxio went back to the restaurant only to decide to stay another day again. He was worried about a group of pokemon that his father had owed a favor to. Before, they had taken him as payment and planned to keep it that way until he turned eighteen. Being seperated from them meant Diondre had broken the agreement.

The stress from it felt like a meteor about to crash, but this home felt like glue sticking him in place. The pokemon could easily think he were gone, be imprisoned, or have left all together. Diondre wished one of those was true, but he could feel it in his gut to avoid them he had to keep moving. Not even the N.A. could defend him.

Not even the white star had a chance against the ruthless enemy.

But thinking about it all day, he still chose to stay again despite all of the risks towards him. Towards her.

His logical side constantly ran through scenarios, and all of them still had the Jolteon in danger if he didn't take action now.

And all over again, he chose to stay. He had to.


	42. Chapter 39: All Hail Team Dragma

A Flareon with white fur and a gray tail and mane woke up to a quiet noise. He saw a Leafeon staring back at him with a smile.

"Oh, hi." Angelo shook himself, "Good morning."

"Good evening to you as well." Charlotte nodded, "We've got a mission for you this afternoon. Miracle rank."

"Oh, yah." Angelo nodded.

Angelo looked around to find himself in his room under the covers of his bed.

" _I don't remember coming back here last night cause I was watching the movie with Hannah. I think I fell asleep..._ "

"But first," Charlotte said, "You've got to make some new friends first. It isn't a solo kind of mission, even for you. Come down to my floor when you're ready."

Angelo nodded as the Leafeon broke eye contact and headed out from his room. Angelo fixed up his fur and gave a short sniff to himself.

" _Eh, it's fine..._ " Angelo decided.

After grabbing his gadget and white cape, Angelo stalked down the hallways and decided to take the stairs down Charlotte's floor. The elevator was usually busier by this time than he preferred.

When he reached Charlotte's floor, Angelo noticed a group of pokemon waiting around casually with the Leafeon. They all gave Angelo different looks.

"So anyways, this girl I was talking to earlier-"

"What happens theoretically at a black hole's center?" a Politoed interrupted, "And why does the periodic table work so that fluorine is the center for-"

"This is team Dragma." the Leafeon introduced, "They're high ranking Nightlight agents who have been filling in for miracle rank missions. Very good at discretion."

"Is normal matter light matter?" the Politoed asked.

Angelo approached Charlotte's side as the group of pokemon started to explode into conversation at the Politoed 's question.

"Uhm, they seem a little bit angry. Are you sure they're a team?" Angelo whispered.

"They make it work." Charlotte nodded, "They're some of our best, for some reason..."

"Allen..." a Luxray introduced himself, "Hey."

"My name's Ty when I'm not being called the truth and the justice." the Politoed followed, "I'm the leader of team Dragma. I think us kings and heroes can work well together."

"Tch, put a sock in it Ty." a male Roserade smirked, "The name's Rose."

An Abamasnow approached Angelo with a soft face.

"I'm Andy." he smiled, "I tend to speak for the team. I'll be briefing you on our mission in a bit. Welcome."

"I'm Andrew." a Charizard nodded cheerfully.

"My name's Caesar." a Simisear said, "No salad jokes or I'll put pins in your pillow."

"Up here!"

Angelo looked to his sides and then looked up to see a flying blue pokemon. He blinked a couple of times before recognizing it as a Latios.

"I'm Nick." he greeted, "Being cool is fun."

The Leafeon shouldered Angelo lightly.

"I'm Angelo." he blurted, "Angelo Acuity."

"Hmmm..." Ty studied, "I don't think you'd fit in with the team, sorry. You have your own style goin on."

"This isn't the recruit, Ty." Andy said, "This is that famous pokemon we tried telling you about."

"I don't remember anything like that..." Ty shrugged.

"Here's here to help us with combat with that wild one we're looking at." Andy explained with a huff.

"Oh yeah!" Ty blinked, "That guy. Alright, sounds good."

"What guy?" Angelo asked.

"We're looking to recruit a strong pokemon." Andy explained, "He's been working independently against this group of white collar crooks, but he's pretty anxious and aggressive."

"And a mythical pokemon." Nick added, "Frigin annoying to try and restrain."

"And of course he thinks whoever approaches him like we are is just trying to use him for something" Rose said, "So this whole things sucks."

"The situation has quickly escalated between him and the group. We're looking for a swift end." Andy nodded.

"So, you want my to just restrain this pokemon?" Angelo asked, "It sounds simple enough."

"The pokemon is the son of two professors, and a Zeroara." Andy explained, "Zeroara gain their electricity from outside sources, and being in the middle of a city makes him near unstoppable. He'd have to be pushed further out, but he's a decent strategist and more than aware. We'd prefer not to harm the pokemon over capturing him, and in the city the electricity's just too strong."

"You're the only one who's a match for him in the city that has a chance at this, and being recognizable helps your case in trust." Charlotte said, "I was reading through missions today and found this to be a perfect match for you."

"Just don't hurt my servant too bad, would ya?" Ty hugged, "Dragma will be here to support you however you'd like, but that Zeroara tends to move too fast for us to keep up with normally. Nick's the only one who can keep up reliably, but the rest of us would have to take different positions."

"Well, do we know any certain place he'll be as a starting point for all of this?" Angelo asked.

"There's no detectable pattern, but we do know he'll take bait." Rose hinted.

"The Zeroara is out to get a particular group of pokemon with a recognizable uniform. They work for a smaller business." Andy explained, "We already have enough to bait him to any given location."

"He's cautious, though." Ty sighed, "He only ever follows so far from where we start, and it's never enough to get him outta the shocker zone. He also only follows at night."

"So there's no way to avoid a potentially longer fight then." Angelo said, "Do you have any way you'd all like to go about it?"

"We have, like, a basic idea." Nick said, "He starts jumping over buildings and stuff when he runs, but he's really hard to chase like that. If we could chase him out of bounds of the huge electricity of the city, we could ground him and then just restrain him much more easily."

"Air and ground." Ty confirmed, "Two phases. We've also got a Snorlax named Curtis on the team, but he's still sleeping in."

"Nick, yes?" Angelo asked the Latios.

"Yup." he nodded.

"How do you stack up against his attacks?" Angelo asked.

"I get fried... If I get hit." Nick added, "But it's deep fried."

"Auntie, is anyone else available today?" Angelo turned to the Leafeon.

"Miss Ariel, that Shaymin." Charlotte answered, "You'll have to stop being a shut-in and ask her for help yourself though." she smirked.

Angelo gave a low growl.

"Tch, girls are a little more common out here. Get used to it." Charlotte laughed.

"Or you could join us." Caesar suggested.

" _Screw both of those options..._ " Angelo sighed.

"Don't worry." Ty smirked, "I got this."

"Nope." Angelo shook his head roughly after the Politoed's comment, "I've, uhm. I got it."

"Good call." Adam nodded.

Angelo stepped a short distance away from the conversation before loading up a call on his gadget.

"Hello?" a tired voice answered.

"Hi, miss Ariel?" Angelo asked.

Angelo blinked hearing random noise on the other side. It sounded somewhat like she had dropped her gadget or was fumbling around.

"Hi!" she said enthusiastically, "What's up?"

"Are you free tonight?"

Angelo gagged at his own words after he said them with wide eyes.

"There's a mission I could use some help with." he added, "Could you come to Charlotte's floor."

"Y... Yup." the voice shivered, "Be there in a few."

The Charizard and Simisear started laughing at Angelo quietly but noticeably. Angelo gave an unnoticed glare.

"Ooh, smooth." Ty nodded.

"Yes, practically a magnet." Charlotte smirked rolling her eyes, "Now then, this plan all seems very sloppy, but it's too be expected. We're low on world class detectives that can predict a hundred moves in advance."

"I mean, that Pikachu downstairs could probably come pretty close." Ty said.

"So, what exactly does this mean?" Andy asked, "Not that much we can do about it."

"It means I'll have Lancelot assist in crowd control so that no one gets hurt." Charlotte said, "Both us and the pokemon aren't malevolent, but things happen. This battle is going to be a bit of a light show."

"Well if we're all set here, Dragma has some prep work to do for this." Ty said, "We'll handle our own positioning, but we just need you to be ready to fight. Sound good?"

"Yah." Angelo nodded, "I got it."

"I'll pull up some feedback on this pokemon's fighting for you to look at and then get back to work." Charlotte said, "You and Ariel better have a look at it."

"Thanks." Angelo nodded.

The Leafeon went over to her pile of electronics while Angelo kept looking over to see if the Shaymin had come yet. When she arrived, she looked around hurriedly before speed walking to them.

" _Oh right, she's an anomaly because she's always in sky forme. I haven't really talked to the branch too much yet overall._ "

"Hey, you can relax. It's happening later tonight." Angelo said.

"Sorry, just got the jitters." she sighed, "What're we doing?"

"Our mission is just to restrain a strong pokemon, and we could use some help in the air." Angelo explained.

"Oh, I think I have someone else who could help!" the Shaymin's eyes jumped, "There's this strong Butterfree that Mr. Acuity knows who's visiting right now."

"Well, the pokemon is an electric type." Angelo winced, "And far from an average one. I'm still nervous about chasing it with anyone to be honest."

"Well, he's an adventurer who was a candidate for the Angel branch." Ariel said, "He's the only successful candidate to turn to offer down, and he's stronger than Marcus in a battle. I mean, I'm sure he can make a better case for himself than I can, but..."

"I'll take your word for it." Angelo flashed a smile.

"Eheh... Uhm," Ariel looked around, "What pokemon are we trying to get?"

"A Zeroara." Angelo answered.

"Oh. Oh..." Ariel stammered, "Those, are uhm. Brutal."

"You don't have to engage it if you don't want to." Angelo quickly said, "I would just like a little bit more long range suppression along with Team Dragma on the ground."

"I can handle any position." Ariel replied, "I really think the Butterfree might be necessary, though. I've studied what mythical pokemon can do, and you need some sort of guard for all the electricity..."

"She's right, you know." Charlotte input. She looked at the pair from the other side of the room. "I've got a few recordings that could help convince you, but none of them are fully accurate to what that pokemon can really do."

"You don't have to tell me twice." Angelo nodded, "You can go ahead and invite him along, Ariel. How does he block attacks?"

"He can use special properties on his wings. They guard against plenty of attacks, and he has other techniques for blocking with it too." Ariel said.

"Sounds great." Angelo said, "We definitely needed air defense for this one."

"Anything else I can do to help you prepare?" Ariel offered.

"I think we should be all set." Angelo answered after thinking a moment, "I just have to get ready myself and warm up. If I don't stick to him, we could lose track pretty easily."

"We have backup as well." Charlotte added, "Kite will be watching the grid looking for anomalies to help keep track as well. So, what are you going to do to prepare, Angelo? Taking a rest?"

"Uhm..." Angelo stared, "Mm."

"It's fine." Charlotte smiled, "But I just want you to be comfortable going outside. I don't want you in here wasting time just because you're nervous."

I'm not, Auntie." Angelo nodded, "Uhm, what do you think I should do..."

"Go outside." Charlotte shrugged, "Take a walk. Meet others."

"Mmm, that sounds more like work." Angelo frowned.

"Then get to work."

Angelo jumped at the Leafeon's glare before stalking away quietly to the elevator.

"Team Dragma's on the bottom floor." Charlotte shouted, "Go talk to them."

"Ok." Angelo nodded.

Angelo waited a few minutes while the Leafeon and Shaymin talked quietly for a while. They both flashed Angelo a small smile before he gave a short wave back as the door closed.

Angelo started to sweat slightly when he got close to the bottom floor. He was surprised that he made it without having to stop anywhere else, but it was even more tense as the door seemed to open slowly.

All of the empty space in the elevator made Angelo feel like he stood out even more. Although it wasn't the case that everyone turned and looked at him, he definitely felt chills run down his spine.

Angelo immediately noticed Team Dragma and made his way to them. He noticed something was off with Dragma facing another group of pokemon. It was drawing attention away from his direction.

" I mean, it's fine that you're teams' bad." a Politoed reasoned, "You're still helping. That's what counts."

"Why's he the leader..." Angelo questioned.

"Cloudnation is the best of the best." a Sandslash said.

"You Dragmas don't have a clue about most of what we've done." a Skarmory added, "You should step aside and let us handle the wild thing."

"We already made plans with the white star." a Gallade on Dragma's side said, "Already set up and everything."

"The white star?" the Skarmory asked, "You, working with him? He's leagues ahead of you. You'll just hold him back."

"That's just enough." a Roserade rolled his eyes, "Dragma, Cloudnation, it just matters that it's done."

"What matters is that we want that Zeroara to work with a better team." a Bibarel said, "He won't be held back with us."

"Just because you've been around longer doesn't mean you're automatically better." the Roserade reasoned.

"Then prove it, at least." the Skarmory said, "Our best fighters up in the training room."

"Nah, we don't fee like it." the Politoed sighed, "We got stuff to do. See you later."

"What?" the Skarmory said, "You can't just leave! C'mon. Prove your colors."

"Not feeling the need to prove to someone else is the essence of maturity."

Angelo drew huge attention to himself wit his input into the conversation. The crowd and Cloudnation looked at him surprised.

"Did he just call Ty mature?" the Luxray asked, "Pretty sure he's just being lazy."

"I'm both. A natural pro." the Politoed bragged, "Wanna scout with us, Angelo?"

Angelo gave a short nod and started to follow Dragma as they left. Members of Cloudnation gave him glances, but Angelo's glare made them turn away from him. Angelo moved closer in the blend in with Dragma to go unnoticed as they left out of the tower.

"So, are we scouting for positions for tonight?" Angelo asked.

"Affirmative." the Abamasnow answered, "It could take us a while."

"Or we could just have you do all the work by running around buildings all super fast." the Politoed suggested, "I mean, makes sense to me."

"I wouldn't mind a stretch," Angelo smiled, "But what kinds of places should I look for?"

"Something a little more open., but not too open." Ty said, "It can't be a street, or just a plaza either."

"Ok, it's totally unfair to make him just do all the work." the Roserade chuckled, "I mean, even if he can."

"Let's just all get different areas." the Abamasnow said, "Angelo can handle the area around the tower, and we'll split the work form there."

"Sounds fine to me." Angelo nodded.

"Alright. We'll meet back at Charlotte's at around seven this evening. We gave six hours, so once we find an area we can go ahead and make personal preparations." the Abamasnow said, "Alright, let's go."

The Politoed started to shout different areas for each of them while Angelo stretched himself out some. Once he finished, all of them went their different direction while Angelo quickly took off from the ground.

After searching a while and keeping in contact with their gadgets, Dragma decided to use one of the places Angelo found. It was a small fountain area hidden under larger buildings along with a few benches. The amount of high ground made the whole group agree on it.

Although they had found a few different spots earlier, they only had an hour to go back to Charlotte's with how they kept disagreeing. Angelo stayed out a little longer in the cool air until until he saw the team coming back. Already on the ground again, he sped-walk towards them until the Luxray and Charizard separated from him to go inside the group.

"Hey." the Charizard greeted..

"Hey, thanks." Angelo said.

Ty didn't seem to notice Angelo as he continued to talk to the Abamasnow at the front of the group.

"I mean, you're alright. But you just suck." Ty said.

" _Uhm..._ "

"Listen, that area was too populated. It just isn't a good choice this time." Andy said.

The two continued to argue while the rest of the group just kept looking forward. Angelo was glad that he went seemingly unnoticed as the team got on the elevator. Because it was later, the elevator was far less busy than it was before. The team was alone in the elevator by the time they were halfway to Charlotte's.

"So, like, are we having anything to eat, or..."

The group glanced at the Luxray.

"O-ok..."

The elevator door opened with the Leafeon and Dragonite waiting patiently. They both turned and nodded to the group. The group dispersed causally around the room sitting in pairs and trios. Angelo just walked next to Charlotte and sat down.

"Angelo I saw you hiding in there." the Dragonite laughed.

"I'm not hiding, I'm socializing." Angelo replied, "With, uhm, my friends."

"Sorry, what's your name again?" the Luxray asked awkwardly.

"Shut up, Allen." the Politoed smiled, "He doesn't count. He's stupid."

"Everyone counts, Ty." the Roserade rolled his eyes, "Even Allen."

"Close call." the Simisear smirked.

"Focus, everyone." the Dragonite huffed, "I think this mission is going to draw a lot of attention, but I have my own matters to attend to. Kite will be monitoring the situation from the outside for an extra pair of eyes."

"This is Angelo's first mission, right?" the Politoed asked, "It's really going to be impossible to hide with how this is gonna go."

"Where are you going with this..." the Gallade sighed.

"Well, Jon. Imagine this..." the Politoed said, "What if we made it super flashy on purpose to make it easier?"

"That's not the association's style." Andy said.

"No, but it would be Angelo's so far." the Politoed pointed out, "And think about it. This Zeroara really avoids the spotlight. We could use the media to help keep track of the Zeroara, get those pests... Uh, civilians, outta the way, and increase the pressure on the Zeroara to trust us a little more thanks to Angelo's hero name. I mean, with how this mission is right now, the Zeroara will probably think we're bandits until we can calm him down enough. Introducing a crowd c an help keep the fight clean, just like in a high school."

"I don't think..." Andy sighed.

"I think you may be on to something there."

The group all turned to the Dragonite.

"This pokemon isn't malevolent, so introducing a crowd to make this endeavor a sort of cage fight could be the most effective strategy. We wouldn't even need the large amount of assistance to chase this pokemon." Lancelot smiled, "Of course, Angelo would have to deal with all the attention."

"Quick," the Politoed said, "Everyone stare at him."

Angelo instinctively went behind the Leafeon as Team Dragma glanced at him.

"I don't like this at all." the Abamasnow said, "This is a completely different mission you're talking about now."

"If we want to build long term trust with this pokemon, why should we lead of by kidnapping?" a Latios asked, "This is a better bet for him actually joining. A good first impression, a heroic one."

"An Angelo one." the Politoed approved, "What'dya say?"

"Uhm, how big is a crowd?" Angelo asked quietly.

"Angelo." the Dragonite smiled, "A mythical pokemon is a strong ally. I can tell you that if you focus, there's no crowd. Just like in the arena, yes?"

Angelo clenched his teeth thinking about it as the Dragonite looked back. His face slowly relaxed as the Dragonite continued to look at him calmly.

"Yah." Angelo finally nodded.

"Alright." the Dragonite said, "Kite has been tracking the Zeroara throughout the day. Mission is go."

"Let's move!" the Politoed called, "Allen, get Curtis and play defense for the crowds if anything goes down. The rest of us be ready to either fight or do the same. Let's keep this clean."

"All hail Team Dragma!" the group said together.

"Wait, is that their motto..." Angelo asked the Leafeon quietly.

"Cringy, isn't it?" Charlotte smirked, "Go on now. That Butterfree and Ariel will be right behind you."

"Alright, thanks Auntie." Angelo smiled.

"Stay safe." Charlotte nodded.

Just as Angelo was about to turn away, the Leafeon dipped her head down and gave Angelo a kiss on the forehead. Angelo jumped and swallowed the wrong way making him cough a bit.

"Sorry." the Leafeon winced.

"No, just surprised." Angelo sputtered, "Uhm, yah. See you."

Angelo looked back again before the elevator door closed with Team Dragma inside.

"You look happy." a Roserade noticed.

"Oh, just nervous." Angelo said.

"Nah, that's happy." the Roserade said, "Everyone ready to get this going?"

"Don't worry. I'll carry the team." the Politoed said, "And lead the way. Just follow me, I've got track of where that Zeroara is right now."

"How should I approach this?" Angelo asked.

"Just keep the same formation so that no one sees you." the Politoed said, "Once we find the Zeroara, you can walk out dramatically and tell him he should join Dragma."

"Trust is slow, though..." Angelo said.

"Trust starts somewhere. We call that a leap of faith." the Politoed smirked, "Alright, everyone just look natural."

The group started to walk more loosely with Angelo still being impossible to see on the inside. Being much smaller than a normal Flareon helped him hugely with this. Although there was a little light banter, Team Dragma continue to look around focused and alert. Angelo felt a lot more protected from the crowds with Dragma keeping space for him.

Angelo started to calm down after a couple minutes of quieter walking. Although it was harder to look around him, the night air was refreshing.

"Alright guys, same area." the Politoed reported, "Get ready to make a wall and push the crowd. Angelo," the Politoed turned, "Let's try and talk to him when we see him."

"Got it." Angelo nodded.

Angelo followed the Politoed closely as they continued on. Both him and the Politoed kept looking around for the Zeroara until Ty tapped him on the shoulder.

"Dead ahead by the building." the Politoed said, "You first."

"Alright. I got it, Ty." Angelo nodded.

The group started to spread out a little more as the Zeroara came into Angelo's eyesight. It was a few seconds before Angelo locked eyes with him. The Zeroara quickly started to look anxious, but Angelo gave back a calm nod as he approached.

The Zeroara stopped moving and simply leaned back against the wall of a building.

Angelo approached him quickly drawing minimal attention. He looked around them before starting a conversation.

"Hm?" the Zeroara huffed, "What is it, white star?"

"A team wants to recruit you." Angelo said, "They're pretty trustworthy."

"I'd believe it if someone trustworthy was speaking to me." the Zeroara retorted, "Am I just supposed to know you because we met on TV?"

"No. And you are being smart." Angelo said, "But it'll only help you sustain where you are."

"And Team Dragma is all about thriving from risks made with our hearts!"

The Zeroara looked behind Angelo as the Politoed went to his side.

"So, we are going to need a leap of faith, and we can make it as small as possible. But we need you to jump just a little." the Politoed reasoned.

"The N.A. isn't as effective as advertised." the Zeroara said, "So, what makes Dragma different?"

"Fight me and I'll totally show you." the Politoed smiled.

Angelo looked at the Politoed and back to see the Zeroara looking at him confused.

"You're spunky, but..." the Zeroara said.

"I'll go easy." the Politoed bragged, "Experience and passion are just too strong."

"Hm, if you say so. But I'm not using electricity and frying your behind." the Zeroara said, "Where to?"

"There's a bigger area up the street here. Just you and me." Ty offered, "Angelo, you can watch from the rooftops."

Angelo looked to the Politoed and back before nodding.

"Alright." the Zeroara nodded, "Lead the way."

Angelo followed the pair from up high as they walked slowly through the crowds. Most of the other Nightlights on the mission were called on standby after Angelo reported the Zeroara's unexpected disposition. Although he was relieved the mission wasn't going to be wild, he was concerned about the Politoed being successful.

The area up ahead was open enough to work, but a large crowd moving about took up a lot of the space. It started to clear up some more as the Politoed went around in circles ranting.

" _I definitely think I lightened the Zeroara's anxiousness just by being here. A little bit easier to open up to a pokemon when you know what their past is. Easier to relate to. I wonder what else I could do with this..._ "

After a couple of minutes, the crowd had formed an orderly circle with a few cameras being pointed. The Polietoed and Zeroara stretched on opposite ends.

" _This is likely going to be all up close if the Zeroara's not using electricity. Ty might not be using water attacks either then. Comes down to skill instead of the Zeroara just blasting him away... That's how he wants it._ " Angelo realized, " _He wants the N.A. to prove something else besides power._ "

Focusing his hearing, which was growing acute, Angelo could hear banter start between the two pokemon.

"Just because I'm not using electricity doesn't mean you still can't get fried." the Zeroara sighed.

"Actually, it really really does." the Politoed said, "Better look out. My diet's vicious. You should try it sometime."

" _What kind of..._ "

"I bet you're diet will be M-rated after I make you eat those words." the Zeroara smirked.

"The only rating my diet has is an A plus!" the Politoed said, "You ready?"

"Mhm." the Zeroara nodded.

Angelo watched as his prediction quickly came true about the battle. Both pokemon were only using using physical punches and kicks. They started off avoiding each other rather than taking blows, but after a short while they both became more and more aggressive as they realized each other's strength.

Angelo was a little in awe of how strong and controlled their swings became. Neither attempted anything fancy, but the slug fest got faster making Angelo's heart pound. The Politoed dodged smoothly at awesome speeds while the Zeroara was forced to take smaller irritating attacks.

" _That Zeroara only needs one hit, and that Politoed just needs another minute..._ "

Although their movement had been streamlined just a moment ago, they both suddenly took their own movement styles. The Zeroara had sudden movements while the Politoed was slippery on the ground like ice.

The Zeroara went for a jab with his left arm, but the Politoed slid to the side and under the Zeroara's right swing. Keeping his forward momentum, the Zeroara swept his right foot up forcing the Politoed to hop to avoid it. With his claws, the Zeroara grappled onto the ground with his arms while swinging both is feet at the airborne Politoed.

The Politoed used water gun to push himself just out of range of the horrid slamming attack and landed to jump at the Zeroara again. The Zeroara spun himself to face the Politoed head on before they both punched each other's arms directly. They were both forced back a short distance from each other with gritted teeth at the impact.

"Errfffff..." the Zeroara held out his arm as a signal to stop. "Ok, ok. Yah, you've got it."

"You could use more calcium." the Politoed smirked.

"I see you holding that arm." the Zeroara said, "Not bad. At all. Dang..."

"Yeah, you're definitely the Dragma type. What'dya say?" the Politoed crossed his arms smiling, "My skills are the ones that pay the bills around here, but we could use some spare cash."

"Eheh." the Zeroara blushed, "Well... Alright. What's your name?"

"Ty. The great Ty. Ty the great." the Politoed said, "And?"

"Aden. Just Aden." the Zeroara rolled his eyes.

"Ah, yes. The Aden." Ty smiled.

"And your friend up there?" the Zeroara asked in a quieter tone.

"Angelo." Ty answered, "He'll be working with us sometimes."

The Zeroaora and Politoed continued to talk to each other about meeting up again at the Nightlight Association. They exchanged quick goodbyes before the crowd parted and let the Zeroara disappear into it.

"We did iiiiiiiiiiiit!" Ty called out loudly.

Angelo smiled until he realized the Politoed had clapped excitedly in his direction. The cameras looking around from the pokemon on the ground found him quickly.

" _That's my queue..._ " Angelo frowned.

Team Dragma arrived back a little later than Angelo did, but the Flareon decided to wait for them before going in. Because it was late, Angelo was comfortable greeting the group from the ground.

They went back up as a group to Charlotte's floor. The Leafeon and Dragonite waited just by the door with smiles on their faces.

"That really went better than expected." the Dragonite nodded with crossed arms.

"Angelo gave me a lot of mileage in talking to him." the Politoed said, "Where were the others, anyways?"

"I was on standby."

Angelo looked around the Dragonite's form to see a Butterfree approaching calmly.

"I was awaiting the battle from the skies, but I'm gladdened it turned to sport instead." the Butterfree nodded, "A good mission indeed."

"Angelo, this is Marciel." the Dragonite introduced, "He's the noble type, and works to bring laws to lawless lands outside of nations. A strong force for good indeed."

"I heeded the news of your arrival." the Butterfree said, "I am here to assist."

"The others were simply blending in with the crowd along with you." Charlotte said, "Your pay will be in the mail tomorrow, Team Dragma. We've also told our secretaries about the new recruit. You all have a nice night."

"Thank you, miss Charlotte." the Abamasnow nodded.

Team Dragma went back onto the elevator and waved goodbyes to Angelo.

"Hey, call us when you're in a jam. We're the best there is, after all." the Politoed bragged.

"Except Allen." the Roserade added.

:Yup, except Allen." the Latios agreed.

The elevator door closed on the Luxray starting to rant against other team members.

"The only quality they lack to join the Angel branch is a some weird unnatural power." Charlotte said, "Which has been occurring more lately. You should call on them for backup, a lot."

"Will do." Angelo nodded.

"We may get acquainted further tomorrow." the Butterfree suggested, "The quick to rest are the quick to rise."

"In most cases." the Dragonite smirked.

The Dragonite's eyes pointed the group to look at Angelo.

"I'm not that bad..." Angelo blushed, "R-right?"

"Not worse than Mary." Charlotte smiled.

"Both are adorable to me." the Dragonite giggled, "I'll wake you up tomorrow afternoon, Angelo. You'll have visitors."

"Who?" Angelo asked.

"It's a surprise." Charlotte smiled, "Now run along, dear. We'll see you tomorrow."

"Alright, see you." Angelo said.

On his way walking back ,Angelo felt a tug at his head. He went to his bed feeling decently, but started to feel dizzy as he lied down. He felt a little nauseous along with it.

" _Ah, geez..._ "


	43. Chapter 40

A Buneary woke up and stretched himself out before heading to school. Luke was much more relaxed about it than the previous day, but he was still stressed about remembering names. Looking around his classroom before class started he found he couldn't remember a single one. Being eleven and younger than most of his peers in the eighth grade didn't help either.

" _A Turtwig... No. Can't remember him either._ "

Their classroom had lockers in the back for changing books for different classes that were all held in there.

Luke was irritated as he looked at the pokemon around him trying to figure out their names. He thought of names from yesterday, but didn't know who to assign them to. He eventually gave up once the class started to get crowded.

The class's teacher, a Grotle named Mr. Vert, arrived shortly after Luke gave up on names. Almost all of the classes they had bored Luke, but history caught his attention. During this year, they were discussing legendary pokemon for the whole year.

"So, class. Would anyone like to explain what a legendary pokemon is?" the Grotle asked.

"A legendary pokemon is a certain species of pokemon given power to protect creation." a Pikachu explained.

"Good, Maribelle." the Grotle smiled, "And a mythical pokemon is simply an ultra rare species of pokemon. Now, what are the two different types of legendary pokemon?"

"A creation legendary pokemon and a minor legendary pokemon." the Pikachu said.

"Good, good. Now class, this is a key difference I want you to know for the real world." the Grotle said, "Minor legendary pokemon can be seen even in Valor, although very very few. Creation legendary pokemon assisted in forming our world, and own physical immortality to protect it. International law is that you are not allowed make unnecessary contact with these beings to keep our world stable. Now then, today we'll be discussing a pokemon species known as Articuno."

"Mr. Vert?" the Pikachu raised her hand, "Will we be tested on this?"

"I'll be testing you on all of the legendary pokemon. This is the hardest class for this year, but even if you don't remember every detail, this class is quite important and fun, I might add."

The Grotle's head scanned the class

"If there are no other questions, we will begin." the Grotle nodded, "Articuno."

Articuno was a flying and ice type pokemon that was usually born in the cold, high mountains. Its powers over snow helped it to protect the vast amount of pokemon that lived there. Towns under its protection were as safe as eggs under its wings. The pokemon creates snow when it flies.

After that class, Luke's interest faded away again until lunch came. The school had a large cafeteria on the basement floor with sixth to eighth grade all eating at once.

Luke sat at a table with some other quiet pokemon. A few teachers came over and encouraged them to talk more mostly in vain. Luke mostly just stared at the other more talkative tables thinking up ideas one how to approach them. Lunch ended far before he had a single one that worked in his mind.

Luke tiredly trudged through the rest of the day before getting his energy back when the bell released school. He started to move a little more quickly down the steps of the building. Luke had saw Uxie waiting with his signature calm smile with his hands behind his back.

"Hey." Luke greeted, "Uhm..."

"Mike, for public." he nodded, "Are you ready?"

"Yah, sure." the Buneary nodded, "What're we doing today?"

"I'm going to introduce you to the training first so that you start to get used to it. We'll be working for an hour today, but soon it could take two." Uxie explained, "You're going to feel sore after, but take it as a sign of improvement."

"Uhm, how sore?" Luke asked in a squeaky voice. Luke put bot his hands together looking at Uxie.

"You'

"It will be fine. It's not painful." Uxie smiled, "It will only be in the beginning as well for the most part. I'll lead the way to a spot for a Magnagate."

Luke and Uxie made their way through plenty of turns. It progressively got less crowded as they walked, and the buildings grew shorter and fewer slowly. By his guess, they had walked about two miles before Uxie confirmed to Luke no one had eyesight on them.

The pair had reached a spot between two run down looking shops. It was a tight fit getting between the buildings, but it was roomier when they reached the area. The parallel walls were both made of red brick with the cold ground being a dusty brown. Luke felt like he would be cold staying here for a while.

Uxie opened the Magnagate just beneath them causing the whole area to change again. Luke felt the air clear as plains erupted from the ground with mountains in the distance at all sides. Although it was nice, he doubted a place similar actually existed.

"I noticed you don't even have a bag yet." Uxie mentioned facing away from him. Luke could tell he was working wit his hands on something. "Not much work for now?"

"It doesn't seem like this school gives much in the way of homework..."Luke said, "Or, uh. Effort. We are having a good class about legendary pokemon, though."

"Well that seems relevant." Uxie laughed, "I'm a creation legendary pokemon. One of the weakest, though. What species did you learn about today?" he asked.

"Articuno." Luke said, "Do you know the other creation legendary pokemon then?"

"Oh, of course. We all know each other." Uxie said, "You'll be meeting a few for your training."

"Wh-... Uhm." Luke stuttered.

"It's exactly what you think and as bad as you think." Uxie said, "But we're a decent way from it. I said the goal was to be able to use the Arc blessing at full strength once. You'd only be able to use a tenth of it consistently by that point. You'll be facing them in a decent amount of time. For today, it's a simple mystery dungeon."

"Alright." Luke said, "So, what do I have to do?"

"The Magnagates in the dungeon progress you. Your only goal today is to reach the end past the obstacles of enemy illusions in the forms of pokemon." Uxie turned around with a newly formed Magnagate behind him. "If you fail, don't fret about it."

"But I'm not sure if I really know how to fight or anything." Luke said, "I mean, why would I?"

"You may, but be unaware of it. You have amnesia, after all." The Uxie floated to the side making way for Luke to walk through. "I am curious to see what your body might remember. Off you go."

The Buneary nodded and entered the Magnagate slowly. After Luke stepped into the light, he noticed immediately that his surroundings didn't change very much. Strange walls appeared on all sides of him that were faint and blue colored. Walls made of dirt also rose in the area making a sort of maze. He looked back in confusion, but Uxie had vanished. The Magnagate below him vanished just as he noticed.

" _Guess this is it then_." Luke nodded.

The Buneary looked around to find himself in an empty space with hallways on his left in right. He flipped mental coin and decided to take the right path.

He noticed a Bulbasaur approaching him from the hallway at a decent speed.

" _Wait, I'm not sure about how the Arc blessing works. Is it passive and always active like bio-energy, or do I have to call it like a move? Guess I better try both._ "

The Buneary readied and punched to Bulbasaur back as it tackled normally. Luke's punch blew it back violently. Shaking his arm, he felt nothing strange about it when he punched.

" _Ok, passive._ "

The Bulbasaur winced as it dragged itself to the ground before charging again. Luke charged and jumped into a kick with both of his feet that completely sent the Bulbasaur much further back than before. The Bulbasaur quickly disappeared before Luke's eyes as he stood up.

"Creepers, alright." Luke shook his head.

The Buneary kept moving down the hallway as it changed directions, but multiple paths appeared. After a quick decision, the Buneary went on the path that had a room at the end of it. He quickly noticed both a Magnagate and two Bulbasaur approaching him.

The Buneary grunted having to use one arm to hold back each Bulbasaur. He unfurled his ears violently to send each of them plummeting through the air back. He wasn't sure if they disappeared, but he ran through the Magnagate to the next floor.

The Buneary appeared again in another room and chose another random direction to go in. Luke quickly noticed that the dungeon had nothing but rushing Bulbasaurs. Luke was quickly tiring at dealing their attacks head on, but he used all of his limbs to counter then in different ways to keep his stamina.

The Buneary lost count of the amount of floors he had passed. He headed directly into every Magnagate he saw to progress. After jumping over another charging Bulbasaur, Luke ended up being in a much different looking area. Luke seemed to be underground with an expanse of rock over him. Shining wet grass was surrounded by an expanse of water .

The Buneary did a full look around him to see a Venusaur was standing behind him. It gave him the same look as the Bulbasaur had.

" _Jeepers..._ " Luke gritted his teeth, " _I think it has a bit more power..._ "

The Venusaur prepped a razor leaf while Luke back further away from it.

"Ah, hey!" Luke called, "I don't think I'm up to this just yet! Hey!?"

The Buneary shifted on his feet to avoid three razor leaves the Vensaur fired with a shout. Ho moved to the left, right, and then ducked. When Luke looked up, the Venusaur was preparing its vines.

" _I can't stay at this range. I gotta get close._ "

The Buneary bolted forward avoiding the sweeping vines and aimed a punch at the Venusaur's head. The Venusar responded with a small tackle that sent the Buneary airborne back landing on his feet. Luke stumbled back before getting back on balance.

" _A good hit oughtta do it,but I need to stop his limbs from overwhelming like that._ "

The Venusaur did sweeping attacks with its vines again. Luke stomped hard on the low vine and grabbed the high vine and slammed it to the ground. The Buneary used ice beam on the vines and pinned them to the ground.

The Buneary ran forward while using ice beam on the bottom of the Venusaur freezing it in place. The Buneary slammed his arms on the Venusaur's head repeatedly and then used his ears for a last shove. The ice shattered on the Venusaur's legs and it sprawled on the ground with its eyes closed.

The Venusaur disappeared in a bright light, and Uxie seemed to take its place.

"You're a decently brutal fighter." Uxie complimented, "I was worried you'd be timid."

"Uhm, was I supposed to not be scared there?" Luke asked, "You didn't reply to me."

"I thought you would simply try to run in some form." Uxie shrugged, "But you did subvert my expectations. You seemed unaware that you knew the move ice beam during the mystery dungeon..."

"No, it just came back to me when I saw the opportunity." Luke said.

"Well, I'll be sure to make plenty of future opportunities." Uxie smiled, "Would you like to continue or stop here for the day? A word of warning, however, you'll be decently sore tomorrow already. The Arc blessing works very uniquely on the body."

"Uhm, I'll pass." Luke said, "I'm expected home soon."

"Alright, excellent work today." Uxie nodded.

* * *

Luke woke up worth horrid tiredness in his limbs the next day. Although it was very noticeable for him, he was pretty sure no one at his home or school noticed. After the first class started, he started to take in the other pokemon in his classroom more. He very quickly noticed the habit of other pokemon not really paying much attention.

Pokemon were constantly chatting to each other and taking pictures of themselves. The Grotle seemed annoyed but used to it.

"Class." Mr. Vert addressed, "We'll be having a test in about a month for history class. Make sure you pay attention during class."

The Buneary looked around himself and noticed no one gave a reply showing attention. Luke's eyes accidentally met the teachers and he just gave a nerve-wracked smile. Mr. Vet nodded in acknowledgement before returning to the lesson.

Latios and Latias. Male and female legendary pokemon respectively. They were lacking in defensive capabilities, but had unrivaled speed and air mobility. They were physic and dragon type pokemon. Both had extreme speed capabilities that were used very differently depending on the civilization they were born into. In Valor, there was a Latios who worked for the Nightlight Association. There was a Latias who worked for the Association as well based in Verity, the nearby neighboring kingdom.

After classes, they went to basic looking cafeteria again. The white walls and floor made the Buneary want to close his eyes most of the time. Luke sat on the end of a table with other pokemon he didn't know talking around him. This table was louder, but didn't pay him any mind.

After school let out again, Luke started to have a feeling that they didn't really assign homework there. The Buneary walked down the steps out of the building a little slower than he did yesterday. The Pikachu waited on the by the bottom step with his calm smile.

"Hey... Uhm..." Luke greeted.

"Oh, it doesn't matter." he sighed, "We're taking a break for today." the Pikachu said. He helped the Buneary after he stumbled on the last step by grabbing is shoulder. Luke gave a sigh of relief. "Met any classmates or teachers yet?"

"Not really." Luke shook his head, "Pretty sure the only other pokemon I've talked to is Mr. Vert, my teacher."

"Well, why not get acquainted?" he suggested. Although it made sense to Luke, his initial reaction was to say no.

"Well?" the Pikachu asked nicely.

"Uhm, but why?" Luke asked.

"Good connections." he reasoned, "Besides, I'm curious. Why don't you introduce me?"

"I don't know him that well." Luke said, "I mean, if you really want to."

The Buneary reluctantly led the Pikachu back inside of the building. Because it had been a few minutes, there was no traffic against them.

When Luke and Uxie reached the classroom, the Grotle was talking to a real Pikachu who was asking him questions. The pair waited for her to leave before entering the classroom.

"Hello?" Luke greeted, "Uhm, hi Mr. Vert."

"Ah, yes. The self aware one this year." the Grotle smiled, "How are you?"

"Doing well." Luke replied respectfully. The Buneary and Pikachu walked in front of the Grotle's teaching area and board. "Uhm, my friend here wanted to meet you."

"I've heard about your research." Uxie explained, "My name's Mike."

"Oh, takes me back. Surprised it's available knowledge." the Grotle nodded, "I used to be quite the wanderer. Still surprised I teach."

"I wanted to ask you about an older journey you went on. It was close to Maroon about twenty years ago." the Pikachu said.

" _Wait..._ " the Buneary looked to his side at the Pikachu. " _What is he doing?_ "

"Yes, I take it you already know what we were looking for." the Grotle chuckled, "Wondering about Maroon, perhaps?"

"You found something, right?" the Pikachu asked.

"On the expedition?" the Grotle asked, "You're asking about that small lake we found?"

"Well, you found something else too." the Pikachu smiled, "Remember?"

"Yes, yes... I can't quite remember. It's been a little while." the Grotle chuckled. He blinked twice and a looked around as if just stretching his eyes. "Phew, this is a little hard."

"What are you doing?" the Buneary whispered.

"You can relax." the Pikachu replied quietly.

"Ah, I have good memories of the lake. But it always has felt like something was missing." the Grotle sighed, "I suppose maybe because it was so surreal."

"I can think of another reason." the Pikachu said, "There's a legendary pokemon capable of dealing with memories named Uxie."

"Uxie?" the Grotle asked, "I've never heard of this at all, and I teach about all legendary pokemon."

"Mmm, well..."

The Buneary looked back and forth quickly as the Grotle mouth hung open and his eyes snapped. The look seemed to be of recognition, and it was staring directly at him.

"You. Uxie! Why didn't I... O-ooh."

The Grotle paused in his tracks just staring at him. Luke could tell Mr. Vert saw past his illusion of a Pikachu.

"I wanted to ask you for some special assistance." Uxie said, "In regards to teaching my friend Luke here."

"A-alright." the Grotle nodded.

"Luke has a very special role here." Uxie said, "I'd appreciate if you used your expertise to teach Luke more in depth about legendary pokemon, including plans for combat."

"Thunderacious. Combat?" the Grotle questioned.

"I realize it's a lot to ask, but it would be very beneficial." Uxie said, "You'd be a pokemon capable of thinking through challenges like that."

"But, why exactly?" the Grotle said, "What is this all about?"

"It's part of a very special training." Uxie said, "Will you help us, Mr. Vert?"

"Well, of course." the Grotle nodded, "But, well, I'd really like to know more. Hoe exactly does Luke align with the mission of legendary pokemon?"

"Well, it would be easier to explain it to you during Luke's training tomorrow." Uxie nodded, "We'll come back, yes?" Uxie turned to the Buneary.

"Mhm." Luke nodded, "Of course."

Uxie and Luke said slightly awkward goodbyes to Mr. Vert before entering the hallway again. While walking, the Buneary kept looking at him waiting for some sort of answer.

"That was your plan the whole time?" Luke finally asked.

"Indeed." Uxie smiled, "I knew you'd object with you being rather worrisome and all. If we can make use of your time trapped in school for your training, it's quite the improvement. I recommend that you just go home and rest for tomorrow."

"Wait, but what do you do all day?" Luke asked, "Where do you go?"

"I usually just read all of the time." Uxie shrugged, "Rest well, Luke."

The Buneary stood by the entrance and watched Uxie leave down in the opposite direction. As usual, he wasn't noticed by any other pokemon.

" _He's a lot more down to earth than I was expecting... I wonder if other legendary pokemon can do the same thing. He'd probably answer if I asked._ "

The Buneary blinked as a drop of water tapped his nose. He looked up to see a gray skyand nearly have a raindrop fall in his eye.

" _Good day to rest._ " Luke smiled.


	44. Chapter 41

" _Angelo... Hello._ "

"I'm up!"

A white and gray Flareon's head popped up from under bed-sheets. He looked around rapidly before ending up just staring ahead confused.

"Who said that?" Angelo asked, "Dad? Auntie?"

" _It was me. Are you alright?_ "

Angelo looked around with his mouth open. He sniffed the air and continued to scan the room left and right.

" _Mmm..._ " the voice sighed, " _Angelo, it is only me._ "

"Hannah?" Angelo asked.

" _No, it's me._ "

Angelo's ears perked up.

"Angelo?" a knock on Angelo's door sounded.

"C-Come in!" Angelo replied.

A Dragonite slowly walked through the opening doors looking around the room till his eyes met Angelo's.

"Is something wrong?" the Dragonite asked curiously.

"No, sorry." Angelo smiled, "I'll be ready in a few minutes."

"Your visitors aren't quite here yet, so take your time." the Dragonite nodded, "Hungry?"

"Uh, not really." Angelo said, "But, I could eat..."

The Dragonite continued to stare at Angelo as if he didn't answer the question yet.

"Uhm, sure." Angelo nodded, "Or I could wait and eat with them, maybe? Or wait, who are they again?"

"Your grandparents on your mother's side." Lancelot said, "With how things have been, it's been a struggle trying to find a time for them to come. Unless there's an emergency, you should be with them completely today. They'll be here in a few hours, so you have time to eat."

"But what about your side?" Angelo asked.

"I'll be telling you about that later." Lancelot said, "You'll be meeting them on the second floor, so just wait down there when you're ready."

"Ok." Angelo nodded, "Uhm, do I need to wear my banner?"

"It's like a uniform, it's only for when you're on the job." Lancelot explained, "If emergencies happen when you're out, it's not required. Charlotte did a fine job." he smiled. "I'll be freeing myself up to join you later."

"Alright. See you, dad." Angelo smiled.

The Dragonite waved leaving the large room with the doors closing behind him.

Angelo huffed before falling with his back on the bed again. He stared upwards to only just notice the artistically designed ceiling. There were ripples along it like waves that made it seem almost like an ocean.

" _Why does everyone keep wanting to slap me in public? I hate it..._ "

Lacking in willpower, Angelo got ready slowly before heading out of his room. He started to feel on edge approaching the elevator. The elevator was just opening with a decent amount of pokemon going inside.

Angelo stalked in after them keeping to his own area of the elevator. He didn't have to push any buttons on the elevator thanks to the second floor already being selected. More groups joined into the elevator that were very talkative.

When the elevator arrived shortly after, Angelo made sure to be in the thick of the crowd when they left. It quickly disappeared around him leaving himself slightly in the open. Walking away from the elevator left him completely out in the open.

" _Ok, food. Food..._ "

"All hail Team Dragma!"

Angelo squeaked in surprise turning around at the near shout in his ears.

"Fearsome, I know." a Politoed bragged. Angelo saw a Zeroara behind him. "Such is life."

"And I thought I was off socially..." the Zeroara smirked, "Such is life."

"T-Ty, what are you doing here?" Angelo asked the Politoed.

"Showing our new recruit around, of course." the Politoed smiled, "What're you up to?"

"Uhm, looking for places to eat." Angelo said.

"Cool, let's do it." Ty said, "Aden, the great Team Dragma will-"

"I have money." the Zeroara frowned.

"It ain't Dragma money, though. Might as well be fraudulent." Ty said, "Well, Angelo?"

"Yah." Angelo nodded, "I could eat anything."

"Lucky for you, I have class." Ty smirked.

The group ate at a small eatery the Politoed had picked out. It appeared to be pretty expensive judging from the paintings on the wall and the shining wooden tables with flowers in vases on them. Although Angelo caught some looks from the workers, none of them treated him any differently than others.

Ty continued to talk for the entire course of the meal. The Zeroara ate much more quietly, but was showing signs of paying attention to the Politoed. The conversation somehow turned into the Politoed talking about the higher-up teams. They ate pretty quickly, so Angelo didn't learn much except roughly a few names.

"So, Angelo." the Politoed said, "What're you doing today?"

"Meeting my grandparents." Angelo said.

"Dang it." the Politoed frowned, "I was hoping you'd be up for a mission we've been struggling on."

"Tracking that Grovyle?" the Zeroara asked, "I thought you said I had enough speed to help you out."

"Yeah, you do. But Angelo's way better working with the outer edges of Valor." Ty said, "Besides, I know any single member of Dragma could take em if we could just find him. Or her. Really not sure yet..."

"How do you not know that but know that any member of Dragma could win?" the Zeroara questioned.

"Because we're good like that." Ty bragged, "Anyways, Angelo. Let's catch up later. I'll add you to our group chat."

"Ehhh..." the Zeroara sighed, "Ty, it's a little hectic in there, don't you think?"

"Naw, perfectly fine"

After each paying for themselves, Angelo have his goodbyes to the Politoed and Zeroara as they left the restaurant. Angelo stood for a moment unsure how to pass the time, but he noticed the Politoed come back as if he had forgotten something.

"Hey?" Angelo said.

"You haven't seen around here, have you?" the Politoed smiled, "It's the Nightlight's home, after all. You gotta know this floor well. You should join us."

"I mean it's true I don't know that much, but-"

"So I'm right. Let's go." the Politoed said.

Angelo reluctantly followed the pair close behind them.

"What time is it?" Angelo asked.

"It's pretty early, I think." the Zeroara said.

"It's about seven or eight." the Politoed said, "It'll be getting real busy down here in just a bit, so let's get a move on since Angelo has stage fright. We should at least show him the major stuff. Shops can wait."

"Major stuff?" Angelo asked.

"Yeah. There's like this leader-board for missions, outlaws, and other stuff. I don't really like it that much, but being popular makes life a little easier because everyone wants you to do their stuff so you can pick and choose. You're so popular, you could start to make really good use of this."

"I'm popular?" Angelo questioned.

"Duuuuh." the Politoed sassed, "That's what happens when you deck over a hundred outlaws in a month."

" _Over a hundred?_ " Angelo blinked.

"Over a hundred?" the Zeroara asked, "Where'd you even find all of em?"

"I didn't realize I reached that." Angelo replied.

The Politoed continued to lead them down different paths for another minute until they reached a large electronic board. It wasn't surrounded by any buildings and stood on its own in the open. The Zeroara and Angelo stopped walking when the Politoed stopped.

"See that billboard?" Ty pointed, "You can view available missions and take them downstairs. There's a ton of other stuff on it too, and one of those things is the leader-board. Lots of pokemon and teams higher-up obsess over it on social media and other things too. Really, really toxic. Here at Team Dragma, we're too busy being the best to care about it, though."

Angelo and the Zeroara looked at each other and then back at the Politoed.

"There's also a sign in system so you can show yourself as being available to have missions asked of you. So guests can look at the list of available agents and choose the one they want the most." Ty explained, "I'm not sure you'd want to do that, though. You could blow it up."

"Is there anything else major I'm missing about this floor?" Angelo asked.

"Naw, that's pretty much the big thing. Let's get closer so you can give it a try." Ty suggested.

"I'll pass." Angelo said, "It's just touch screen, right?"

"Right." Ty nodded, "Oh yeah, you gotta meet your grandparents. Well, I'll show you a few other key shops if you have time. They're all in the same area."

"I already know about those." Angelo said slowly, "I should be fine."

"Alright." Ty smiled, "We'll see you around then, Angelo."

"Yay, maybe when-"

The Politoed and Flareon jumped in place slightly at an alarm sounding from their Nightlight gadgets. The Politoed checked his gadget that looked like a crown while Angelo pulled out his star necklace.

"A big bad close to the tower at the bank. Let's go." Ty said, "Elevator."

Angelo ran close behind the Zeroara and Politoed as they turned and bolted. Other Nightlight agents slowly joined the dash to the elevator until they had enough to fill the elevator decently.

Angelo seemed to be one of the first onto the elevator and quickly got pushed to the back. He started to feel anxious quickly at the crowd of pokemon forcing him against the cool wall.

" _Deep breathe in, deep breathe out... I know where it is, and I can get there soonest if I get out of this crowd first chance._ "

Angelo started to sweat nervously when a few arguments broke loose between pokemon pushing each other. Angelo couldn't keep all of the different complaints straight in his head and was starting to doubt that they could either.

" _I can imagine why your father would be willing to jump out a window. Yah. Wait, what? Eh!?_ "

Angelo blinked at his own thoughts acting strangely.

" _What? Uhm, hi!? Hi. Try to move ahead of the group quickly, I'll make sure you have a tad extra power to lead off with, Angelo. Alright then!?"_

Angelo held his head for a short moment before looking around and regaining his focus. He noticed a few pokemon staring at him making him uncomfortable.

"The white star?" a Gifarig exclaimed, "You take the elevator?"

Pokemon around the elevator turned their heads in his direction.

"Uhm, yah." Angelo whispered.

" _Ask for room so you can get a good start._ "

"Uhm, could I have a little room?" Angelo squeaked.

The pokemon in the elevator slowly moved closer to the sides clearing a straight line as the doors slowly opened to the lobby.

"Thanks." Angelo nodded nervously.

Angelo quickly picked up speed forcing himself to ignore the crowd. He bobbed and weaved past different groups in the lobby until he was hit with the outside's chill. Although it didn't affect his body heat, he was slightly surprised by it. The small plaza outside was slightly rowdy with activity.

Angelo joined the activity continuing to weave past the crowd. Although moving quickly, his progress was getting stalled having to take a winding route.

" _I need to find higher ground. I'm no Dragonite, but I can just use rooftops. I need to move a little faster._ "

Angelo climbed a low building quickly to stay out of sight before jumping to slightly higher rooftops quickly. His legs felt a little stronger than normal, but he didn't push himself. He kept his jumps short but quick as he followed the commotion. He stopped when he noticed an unusually empty area in front of a building.

Pokemon had formed a semicircle and were looking intimidated of the inside, peering in before backing away again. Angelo slowly climbed down the building into a larger alleyway before going onto the edge of the street. Pokemon all in front of him were gossiping and whispering about what was happening inside.

Unsure what to do next, Angelo quickly called his dad with his necklace gadget.

"Sorry, dad. I uhm-"

"Don't worry about it." Lancelot's voice replied, "You did good. I want you to prioritize keeping the crowds and businesses safe. You can join the mission's combat once it becomes a chase."

"What're we dealing with?" Angelo asked.

"Very aggressive group that doesn't usually steal from high profile areas. Led by a beast of a fighter fighter, a Tyranitar. Angelo, please don't do anything rash. Experience is dangerous. I'm coming soon."

"I'll do my job." Angelo nodded.

As soon as Angelo finished the call, a huge explosion sounded with panicked screams in front of him.

" _What was that!?_ "

Angelo looked left and right and decided to hide himself behind a small dumpster. He kept his head peered out as the crowd had completely dispersed in front of the building. A couple of pokemon came storming out of the building with bags dripping coins. Angelo easily noticed the Tyranitar looking around a bit more confidently.

"Back inside. And grab someone." the Tyranitar ordered.

Angelo's ears perked up.

" _They're trying to barricade with a random hostage. To really protect the crowd, you need to act now._ "

Angelo swiftly jumped to the top of the dumpster before using a swift attack with no warning. A Purugly shouted and got in the way of the attack using Protect before it landed. Angelo quick chose to scurry up the side of the building.

"Oi, look alive!" a Blaziken shouted, "In the alley!"

"Idiots!"

The group of pokemon turned to the Tyranitar.

"Keep track of him. Up there."

Angelo gave a large growl as the group looked up at him. The Tyranitar kept a steady gaze while the others seemed to take fighting positions.

" _There aren't any other Nightlights around. Failure will be catastrophic. I'll help you as much as you can handle._ "

The gray and white Flareon used Flame Burst to scatter the pokemon on the ground before bravely taking a nosedive straight to the group. He instantly got lost in the haze of attacks from all directions. He was constantly getting hit with attacks, but was replying with double the force the second he was hit.

Angelo reacted with another flamethrower when another attack was heading his way, but failed to realize in time it was the Tyranitar's rough arm before it grabbed him by the throat suddenly. Angelo tried pulling it's arm off of him with his surprised, but was lifted up into the air.

"Usually youth is associated with power." the Tyranitar huffed, "But you're too young."

With a accompanying growl, the Tyranitar slammed Angelo into the ground making him wheeze painfully.

"All skin and bones."

Angelo felt the Tyranitar's foot sweep the floor sending him rolling away on the brick road. He quickly brought himself back to the ground on his feet again huffing.

" _There's no more assistance I can offer. Still too early._ "

" _Who said anything about needing help?_ " Angelo clenched his teeth, " _I'm the only wall for the crowd behind me._ "

"Talking to the Reshiram?"

Angelo blinked with wide eyes at the Tyranitar's call.

"If you come back in with me, I won't hurt you, white star." the Tyranitar offered, "All I want is a favor." The Tyranitar set down a bag on his right shoulder and quickly put in his arm and brought it back out holding a dark sphere object. "Something only you seem capable of."

" _Do not oblige._ "

The Tyranitar started to look more aggressive as Angelo didn't give a reply. He set the stone back inside the of the bag and brought his shoulders back to crack his back.

" _He wants to finish this quick. I can't buy anymore time, where are they!?_ "

Angelo's ears flickered as something sounded behind him. He turned his head to see an Excadrill pop out of the ground a moment later and slash him across his face. Angelo reeled away while grabbing his face only to feel a hard blow on his head from his other side.

He curled up on the ground holding his head yelling. Although he couldn't see, he could tell the Tyranitar grabbed him forcefully from the fur on his side and started to carry him. Moving made him quickly feel nauseous and dizzy. His vision quickly faded. Although not unconscious, he found it impossible to focus on anything or think.

After a short while, Angelo was dropped a short distance to the ground making him shriek a bit.

"Hey, what the hell were you thinking!?"

Angelo heard a hard smacking sound accompanied by a grunt.

"You idiot. We need him in peak condition to last long enough. You know this."

"I couldn't risk it. There's a lot of attention now."

"Obviously. Let's get him ready. White star? You conscious? Hmph."

" _I need to get out of here. Now. It's not too late. I think... Concussion. I think I have a concussion._ "

"What's the matter with him?" the voice asked, "Did you..."

Angelo felt his head slowly picked up off the ground quickly before it was set back down. He closed his eyes at the seemingly intense light.

"You hit him too hard, this isn't going to look good. I'd prefer if you just took a normal hostage instead of a celebrity, even if he can do what we need."

"Once we take Zekrom, it won't matter."

Angelo felt his feeling of dizziness leave his body. He suddenly felt more clear in his thinking.

" _I have a second wind for you, but it won't last long._ "

The gray and white Flareon shakily rose to his feet while opening his eyes to get a feel for his surroundings. He was on the ground in the entrance of the bank with a large amount of pokemon around him. They all stared at him looking hasty.

"No sudden movements, white star." the Tyranitar scoffed.

" _What do I do?_ "

" _I've given you a second wind. Do with it what you will._ "

Angelo nodded to himself very slightly. The pokemon around him didn't seem to take notice.

"Boy, whatever you're thinking cut the crap." a Monferno said, "Nightlight agents are still eggs compared to us."

"Then why are you all cracking up?" Angelo huffed.

The Tyranitar took a step forward threateningly, but Angelo already took in a deep breath to let out a fierce flamethrower in a circle around him. Angelo could feel and see the heat was much more intense than his last one.

The whole group of pokemon took defensive positions and started attacks of their own. Angelo thought for a split second before deciding to rush against the Tyranitar. Angelo leaped at him with a fist in the air faster than the Tyranitar could react. He started to punch and kick different pokemon that rushed in trying to help him.

"Stop the lot of you!"

Angelo finished shrugging off the Monferno and Armaldo trying to hit him before pausing suddenly as the pokemon stopped moving. He looked in the direction of the call and saw a Blaziken standing firmly.

"Let em go." the Blaziken ordered.

"What!?" the Tyranitar asked.

"Just let em go. You heard me, make room."

Angelo looked suspiciously as the pokemon went to the off to the sides of the lobby opening a way to the outside.

"I'm not leaving without that stone." Angelo said slowly.

"What use do you have for it?" the Blaziken asked.

"I could ask you that." Angelo frowned.

"The strength of legendary pokemon should not be left to the hands of the government. Can you really trust the pokemon on top of all this?" the Blaziken gestured to their surroundings. "Someone with your background is one matter,Give it t but I'd prefer to keep true power to the populace."

"They choose by themselves to prevent anything you're thinking about. Give it to me." Angelo said. "It's not meant for you. Besides, the legendary pokemon wouldn't choose pokemon stealing more than what they need. I don't know if that means everyone in this room, but it definitely means you."

"Do you even know how the Association made this money!?" the Blaziken growled, "Tax money. All of it!"

"The taxes that you prolly don't pay or don't even have to. I'm not accepting the game that either of you are playing." Angelo said, "Give it to me, and leave your bags here. "

"Oi, just do it man." a Scizor said, "You know he's chill. All this stuff isn't for us."

"Besides, he'll boil us if we don't." a Pidgeotto added.

The Blaziken looked around to see resounding agreements.

"Aight, let's go." the Blaziken nodded.

The pokemon set their bags down around different places of the room, and the Tyranitar carefully presented the black stone to Angelo with a single arm outstretched. Angelo grabbed it cautiously before the Tyranitar quickly backed away from him.

Wordlessly, the pokemon one by one left in different ways and directions. Angelo was impressed as they all seemed to disappear in the same moment in pretty discrete ways.

"This ain't goodbye." the Blaziken said, "I don't trust the N.A."

The Blaziken exited through the front door and quickly jumped up over the building.

" _Your second wind is no longer necessary it seems._ "

Angelo's legs gave out and he fell to the floor with the stone falling next to him with a clank. He immediately felt like the room was spinning and wobbling.

" _Mission... Accomplished? Urgh..._ "


	45. Chapter 42

"I'm feeling pretty heroic today!" a Buneary laughed. He smiled brightly looking at the blue sky walking next to a Pikachu down a pretty street.

"And why's that?" the Pikachu asked smirking.

"I helped this old pokemon cross the street. She was like, at least twenty. Isn't that great!"

"Are you certain that you're eleven years of age?" the Pikachu asked, "Uhm, unrelated question."

"I'm something like that. They weren't really one-hundred percent..." the Buneary said, "You still haven't told us what we're doing today. I'm still beat from the other day..."

"Giving you some knowledge." the Pikachu replied, "We're going to the central library so I can tell you how legendary pokemon have been influencing history so you better understand what needs to be done and why. The Arc blessing will be putting you in a leadership role, after all."

"Sounds easy!" the Buneary smiled, "And after that, could we get something to eat?"

"Sure, but I'm not buying for a rich child." the Pikachu chuckled.

Luke looked around at all of the different high buildings wonder what a library would look like here. Although the buildings were decently unique, nothing he imagined would quite fit in.

"It's a pretty building. It's quite expansive, but only has a few librarians." the Pikachu explained, "One of them that works there is a scion to a legendary pokemon known as Xerneas. She'll be giving you the uncut rundown of history that you need."

"I don't even know that much of the cut version." Luke said.

"Well keep it simplified." the Pikachu smiled, "It won't be too bad to remember."

The Buneary blinked and looked to his right at the Pikachu.

"All I mentioned was remembering something, I didn't mention amnesia at all..." he sighed.

"I know, I know." Luke huffed, "Just kind of think about it a lot..."

"Yes, it tends to be a very main quality to have." the Pikachu rolled his eyes, "Don't get too stressed. Just relax. It's really simple today, and fun."

"But what if I forget something important?" Luke said, "I... Just, don't know."

"I have my own level of power over memory." the Pikachu hinted, "I suppose I'll tell you about that another time. Either way, you can always ask me anything pertaining to today. It's up ahead there."

The Buneary blinked looking at the building the Pikachu pointed out. It looked much more ornate on the outside than he was expecting. It was on the right side of their street and had a formal air with status sitting on its roof. The Valorian flag was waving proudly over the building.

"Say, what does that flag mean anyways? What is it?" Luke asked the Pikachu quietly.

"It's a symbol from ancient times, but I know it to be the outline of the first king of Valor's head." he explained, "My head is where Maroon draws its flag from, so that's why I would make an uproar in public. I'll tell you more in just a bit."

The Pikachu walked slightly ahead of the Buneary and pulled open the door for both of them. Luke nodded gratefully while taking a first look inside. He felt initially that is was reminiscent of a grocery stores with isles of book, but he looked up the spiral staircase to notice the second floor looking different with books all across the walls. The ceiling was much taller than he thought at first glance.

"Where is she?" Luke asked, "Jeepers, I'd get lost in here awful quick without you around."

"Don't worry about that," the Pikachu chuckled, "They have directions up everywhere. She may be on lunch break at this hour, so let's continue upstairs."

Luke looked left and right, but he didn't see any other pokemon at that moment. The only pokemon he saw was working from behind a desk close to the front doors, but the Golett showed no interest in them.

"So, how exactly does your illusion work?" Luke questioned, "I mean, I get that you can turn it off and on, but how are you choosing who and stuff like that? It's weird looking at you as a Pikachu."

The Pikachu gave it some thought as they were walking up the stairs and answered about halfway up.

"Well," he sighed, "It's pretty complicated stuff, but it does have to do with my given control over mystery dungeons. They impact reality pretty interestingly."

"Man, every time I ask you stuff in depth you just say it's complicated. You grown-ups are somethin else..." Luke huffed.

"It quickly starts to become science when I explain it, though. A science that really won't matter to you in the long run." he smiled, "I think I see her."

Luke noticed a Meowstic holding an open book up to her eyes while standing by books in the wall. She turned and smiled when she noticed the pair. The Buneary and Pikachu walked closer to her as she put the book back on the shelf.

"Welcome, welcome. How are you two today?" she asked.

"Quite well, thank you." the Pikachu nodded, "We're all set for you."

"Oh... So this is the Combatant?" the Meowstic asked, "Much younger than I expected. Are you... Thirteen?"

"Y'know, at this point it's really unclear." Luke sighed.

"Heheh." the Meowstic laughed, "I've heard about your situation, it's fine. Come with me."

The Meowstic led the Buneary and Pikachu past a few sections of book and stopped when they reached a different room. Once past the doorway, Luke noticed the artistic ceiling and sudden lack of books. Although there were still dozens, the books weren't as huge in number.

"This is our history section." the Meowstic introduced, "I am its overseer. You can call me Daisy. I'll be explaining just a few things for you to know."

Luke nodded.

"Feel free to look through all of these books you see here, however, most of what I'm going to tell you isn't really on our written records."

The Meowstic looked around the Buneary and down the hallway, seeming to double check it. She gave a satisfied nod before continuing.

"Legendary pokemon, for all of their rarity, have actually been quite influential secretly over the past couple of centuries. They bond with pokemon to change the outcome of certain events with discretion. Our goal as scions is upholding peace in different ways."

"Am I a scion?" Luke asked, "I don't really feel weird or anything..."

"You will be." the Meowstic smiled and nodded, "Right now, there is a large influx of rogue scions, or scions unaware of themselves. We think that every legendary pokemon that helped in making the world is active, which can be taken as a disaster incoming."

"Uhm," the Pikachu interrupted, "That's what I'm trying to help with. Assisting in your training is my highest priority."

"Uxie here was the pokemon responsible for beginning Maroon as a nation." the Meowstic said, "Before it took that name, it was known as Acuity. It's first king was a scion to the same legendary pokemon as you. You can trust him with your success."

"So, you're preparing me to be a scion, but you have no idea why the legendary pokemon are all awake?" Luke questioned, "Why don't you just ask them?"

"Only their coordinator knows the reason behind that, and there is no communicating with a legendary pokemon unless it involves a scion. Arceus is that coordinator." the Meowstic answered.

"So the sooner the better." the Pikachu nodded, "Once you finish basic training and reach you goal by the winter solstice, we'll need to go to other continents to continue it. I suggest you mentally brace yourself."

"Other continents?" Luke blinked, "Wh-... Uh, for how long?"

"The better part of a year." the Pikachu sighed, "Sorry. I know you want to get more accustomed here and everything."

"Jeepers." Luke huffed. The Buneary tapped his foot on the ground repeatedly thinking. "Grown-ups are somethin else... What am I supposed to tell everyone?"

"I'm afraid that's up to you." the Pikachu answered slowly, "All I can do is assure you of its necessity."

"In any case, prepare yourself." the Meowstic nodded, "Would you like to stay and read some books? I can explain anything you find peculiar."

Luke shook his head.

"Alright, come here if you find yourself bored..." the Meowstic offered, "Or stressed."

Luke thought about it constantly for the rest of the day. He did eventually come back to the library, but he read from other books to try and get his mind off things.

Luke ended up reading a book he enjoyed that seemed to be a classic from when he asked the Meowstic about it. Luke was a slow reader, so he only got to read about half of it before the library started to close. He was shocked realizing how many hours he had been there.

Uxie tried talking to the Buneary as he walked him home, but Luke was feeling much better from aware, Uxie decided to keep the conversation on the book he had been reading until he reached home.

When the Buneary skulked home, he fixed how he acted deciding not to say anything to his new family. Although they didn't question him, he tossed and turned all night in his bed.

" _Making friends just to say goodbye. I don't want to do that, so I just have to avoid the first part. I... Don't want to go, but I better get ready._ "


	46. Chapter 43

A gray and white Flareon turned over in his bed again. His eyes were wide open. He lifted his head looking at his room's door only to see nothing there again.

Angelo tuned out to be unable to meet his grandparents that day because of unexpected delay when they were coming in from out of the country, but he still had a lot on his mind. He gave the stone from the day to his father, but he still felt pain in his muscles from the Tyranitar's attacks.

He decided to get up and left his room. He looked both ways wondering where to go.

"Hey?"

Angelo turned quickly and gave a sigh of relief seeing a Cinccino. She had to talk a tad closer for Angelo to see her better because of the hallway's lights being off. Hannah looked back with wondering eyes.

"You alright?" she asked.

"Yah, sorry." Angelo nodded, "Just can't sleep, so I was going to do a few things."

"Why can't you sleep?" Hannah asked, "Are you scared?"

"Wh-... Uh, no." Angelo huffed.

A small noise came from a nearby room making Angelo jump. He gave a huff a short moment after before looking back at the Cinccino. She had a sad look on her face.

"Angie, you don't feel safe here, do you?" she asked slowly.

"Safe? There's no such thing as safe." Angelo's eye twitched, "Relax, I'm fine."

"You're fine here, you really are." she said.

"What, like last time?"

Angelo covered his mouth and widened his eyes. He felt like his mouth moved by itself. Hannah visibly flinched, but her expression didn't change much.

"I wish I could tell you that it's different, but I can't. Safe is a feeling, not a guarantee that life will go that way you want you to, or continue every moment. I can't tell you that you're always safe, but I can tell you that you're afraid, and not just of enemies, but also of trusting the ones around you that love you."

"I. I don't. I'm not." Angelo shook his head.

"From how you're standing, I think you can answer yourself." she giggled slightly, "Hey, I'll see you around. Get some rest."

Angelo watched Hannah leave quietly before realizing he had his claws out and was standing with his back curved the whole time.

"Tch." Angelo huffed, " _That's it, let's go on the prowl._ "

Angelo shook his head and started to head towards the elevator. As expected, it came immediately with no other pokemon on it.

Angelo pushed the button to go down thinking to himself.

" _The Nightlights actually end up being pretty inactive at night, when it's most dangerous. Utterly stupid..._ "

The doors opened on the bottom floor to reveal a pretty empty area. Only a few pokemon who were working at desks were in sight.

" _You don't have to go around wide-eyed to see that stuff that goes on at night here, even close to here. I still wonder why they don't do a thing about it._ "

Not drawing any eyes, Angelo left out of the main door into the plaza area. Although the plaza wasn't bustling, he noticed the city was still as active as ever. He chose a random direction to walk in as he left the plaza.

Angelo stopped walking when he noticed a crowd on the upcoming street. Pokemon were streaming in and out of different stores.

" _Ok, it has to be some sort of sale day. Camping out nearby should at least help me get any thieves that show up... But I do wanna take a look. Ah, let's just go._ "

Angelo slowly approached the crowd searching for parts to enter in from a distance. He constantly was second guessing going in. He noticed a small commotion suddenly burst by the street corner.

Pokemon started to struggle to try and enter one store that looked like it was for slowly started to form a line heading in and outside.

" _Maybe a famous singer or something. I could try to ask..._ "

"Whatcha lookin at?"

Angelo jumped with a small cry and huff at a Politoed and Gallade next to him. The Politoed tilted his head staring.

"Weeeeeeeell?" Ty asked, "Whatcha lookin at?"

"Ty, you scared him. Just lead with hello like we practiced." the Gallade huffed.

"Hi."

Angelo growled at the Politoed and made him scurry under the Gallade's leg. A moment later he peered his eye out from behind him.

"Over there is a signing before a concert from Lady SweetSweet. Popular singer?" the Gallade hinted.

"Yah, I know." Angelo nodded, "Thanks, Jon. What are you two doing out here?"

"The best offense is a good offense." Ty said, "But tonight, we're the best defense. By being a good defense."

"We're just keeping tabs on the crowds here tonight." Jon added, "We've got Aden on the rooftops monitoring too. A good, calm first mission. How about you?"

"Just looking for action is my guess." the Politoed walked out confidently, "Am I right?"

"Just couldn't get to sleep, and I'm thinking about things." Angelo said.

"That's a thinking about girls look if I've ever saw one." Ty smiled, "Whoever it is, just bring her here and just do it."

"I just upset her, like, two minutes ago..." Angelo sighed, "I honestly just needed some air."

"Well Angelo, as much as we'd like to talk to you about it, we got to get to our positions soon. " Ty said, "But if I were you, I'd invite her here and do whatever dramatic stuff you need to. Besides, you got the charm."

"The, uh, charm?" Angelo questioned.

"That cool guy charm." Ty said, "If you evolve it, it'll be close to as powerful as mine

. We'll call you if there's a heavyweight problem, white star."

The pair waved goodbye while heading into the crowd seamlessly. Angelo was slightly jealous of how they seemed to handle it easily.

" _I do have to say something to her..._ " Angelo sighed, " _Guess I'll just text her I'm sorry or something. Or should I call... Is it too late for either? I just saw her, though. I should just call._ "

Angelo went out of the view of the street against a wall and pulled out his gadget from his neck. He quickly tapped the buttons to call Hannah and sat patiently.

"Hello?" a voice responded.

"Uhm, Hannah?" Angelo murmured, "I just called to apologize..."

"Still way too tense." the voice laughed, "No reason to be sorry. "

"I'll, uhm, work on it..." Angelo huffed, "So, Lady SweetSweet is performing nearby tonight. I wanted to ask if you were a -"

"Wait, Lady SweetSweet!?" Hannah half-screamed, "Where are you!?"

"Uhm, not sure." Angelo admitted, "I'm pretty sure you can check on the gadget though for where I am."

"Yah, I can. Oh my gosh, I'm coming in just a few minutes."

"Are you a fan then?" Angelo asked.

Angelo sweat dropped hearing a huge amount of fumbling and banter. The fumbling cleared a short moment later.

"Uhm, a duh." the voice sassed, "Are you not?"

"No, she screeches into her mic all the time... Uhm, well." Angelo's voice lowered, "She's fine, I guess."

"I'll respect your opinion, even if it is wrong." the voice replied, "I'll be there in a couple minutes."

"Alright, see you."

Angelo smiled and let out a sigh of relief.

" _Always hard to tell if she's mad or not. At least she wasn't this time._ "

After a minute or so, more lamps came on near Angelo. His fur started to reflect the light and shine brightly. He looked around nervously before sighing when he realized nobody was around. He used his larger than average tail to cover most of his body with its gray and shine a little less.

" _Now that I think about it, I don't think anyone else has this problem. I should check into my fur more closely now that I can. It's probably nothing, though._ "

After another minute, Angelo noticed the Cinccino bounding excitedly in his direction. She came to a stop a short distance away looking at him with slightly wide eyes.

"Wow, your fur. It's all sparkling." Hannah gazed.

"It just does that, it's nothing." Angelo said, "Uhm, should I be going with you? I don't want to give anything away."

"Oh, you can relax about that. I've got plenty of covers I can recite even now." she smiled, "You ready?"

"Yah." Angelo nodded standing up. "Why do you want to see this singer, anyways?"

"I'm a fan." she said nonchalantly, "She's a pretty good singer."

"Uh oh."

Angelo covered his mouth after blurting and frowned in frustration.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hannah asked smirking.

"I, uhm, recognize that tone. What'd she do?" Angelo huffed.

"She called my music trash and insulted my fighting skills, so I've just got a little business call." Hannah smirked, "You know how it is."

"Well, why not just ignore it?" Angelo asked.

Hannah frowned and put her arms on her hips.

"Listen, I know what it feels like, but making a good image is about-"

"I wish it were." Hannah laughed, "It's different, at least where I am. I can't afford to not defend myself."

"Neither could I." Angelo shook his head, "Silence can be powerful, too."

"I'm already at my line's end." Hannah sighed, "If you want to, you can just watch from nearby. I just want to deal with this."

"Alright." Angelo nodded, "Uhm, I'll try to be discrete."

"So, where is she?" Hannah asked.

"Just in the music store on the street there." Angelo gestured, "I'll let you lead the way."

The Flareon stalked closely behind the Cinccino as they turned the corner back onto the street. Angelo immediately noticed it was a lot less busy than before. Angelo felt his shoulders fall as he let out a breath. As they turned towards the store, Angelo bounded ahead slightly and opened the door quickly. He looked to the side sand down at the smiling Cinccino.

"Aw, you." she nodded.

Angelo smiled to himself as she passed before entering with the heavy glass door closing behind him.

Angelo immediately noticed the Lurantis standing at the center of attention in the room. He stalked to the side quickly and covered himself completely with his tail. His eyes peered out so he could see Hannah approaching the Lurantis.

The Lurantis turned toward Hannah and locked on her with slightly surprised eyes. Her expression quietly fell back to confidence.

"Would you like an autograph?" the Lurantis asked, "I'll sign it just for you."

The Cinccino approached the Lurantis with her hands on her hips and a small frown.

"Why do you keep raggin on my work online?" Hannah asked tiredly, "It's getting out of hand."

"It's all just friendly competition, dear." the Lurantis laughed, "It's about pushing each other forward."

"Well, I'd appreciate if you would stop being 'friendly' that way." Hannah sighed, "I don't just sing, I've got other things I'm focused on too. More focused on."

"Well, I sure hope your pitch in those things is a little more stable." the Luranits nodded slyly, "Now if you don't want an autograph, or paid lessons, you're holding up my line."

The Lurantis looked up and gained a slightly confused expression.

"Was that dust bunny always back there?" the Lurantis asked no one in particular.

Angelo's stomach dropped.

"Listen," Hannah spoke a bit louder, "I just don't want you really talking about me. That's all I'm asking."

"Last I checked, your pitch is too shaky to be copyrighted." the Lurantis hissed, "Now get out of here... And take that dust bunny out too." the Lurantis turned around and looked at a Magmar. "Geez, Antony. This place is a wreck."

"No person's name is copyrighted." Hannah rolled her eyes, "And he's not a dust bunny. Angelo, it isn't all that."

Angelo quickly uncovered himself with his tail and looked down at the ground.

"S-sorry." Angelo mumbled.

The Cinccino didn't look back as she went back to approaching the door quietly. Although it'd appear as normal to most pokemon, Angelo could read the Lurantis' surprise from her body language. Angelo blinked and hurriedly opened the door. Hannah smirked again walking through it.

Angelo followed Hannah out of the building back onto the street. He followed her silently for a short moment until he noticed a large fountain up ahead with a single stream upwards. Hannah went slightly ahead of him and sat there with a huff. Angelo sat next to her quickly.

After a short moment, Angelo decided to talk.

"Annoyed?" Angelo asked.

"Yaaaaah." Hannah huffed with her arms on her chin. She skimmed her feet next to each other and looked down while sitting.

"I know." Angelo nodded and looked down, "But it's definitely better not being the only one on your own side, right?"

Hannah smiled and met eyes with Angelo.

"Of course it is." she agreed, "Yah, you're right. What am I doin..."

Hannah quickly hopped onto her feet surprising Angelo. He reeled back to far and lost his balance, but a strong arm grabbed his arm and tugged him before he fell in. He was tugged so hard by the Cinccino's arm his head fell onto her shoulder.

"Sorry!" she quick apologized. Hannah used both her arms and sat him up on his balance. "You're way lighter than I thought."

The Cinccino quickly sat back down chuckling. Angelo looked around red-faced wondering who was looking.

"Hey, we should do something." Hannah suggested.

"L-like?" Angelo asked quietly.

"Pft, I dunno." Hannah shrugged, "Want to go for a massage?"

"I, uhm... I mean, it sounds nice, but..." Angelo's voice wavered.

"Oh." Hannah said, "I'm probably wearing your endurance for public thin. Well, I could just give you a massage back at the building myself."

"O-Uhm, why?" Angelo felt his face heat up near uncomfortably.

"Well, you're moving a little awkward ever since you fought that Tyranitar. I'm actually pretty familiar with this stuff, so I thought I'd check you out."

Angelo tensed slightly as the Cinccino touched her arm on his back lightly. He felt the heat from his face stretch to his ears intensely.

"W-wow..." Hannah said, "I'll have Kite check out your fur, too. It's way softer than any normal fur right now."

Angelo was starting to feel dizzy with his breath racing.

"Is something wrong, Angie?" Hannah asked quickly.

"I..I-" Angelo's face twitched, "Fine."

The Cinccino leaned forward and took a look at the gray and white Flareon's face. Angelo looked back with a shaky smile for a short second before breaking eye contact.

"Ohhhhh." Hannah smiled, "You get weak in the knees for compliments."

"N-not sure w-what you m-mean." Angelo blinked, "Uhm, all s-set to h-head back?"

"Yah, sure." Hannah nodded.

During the walk back, Angelo noticed his fur shining brightly in the light again, but Hannah didn't say anything about it. Of course Angelo took notice of the looks they got, but Hannah seemed to walk on not caring. After walking a ways past the street, Angelo finally let out a nearly audible sigh.

Hannah hummed to herself gleefully while Angelo followed close behind her until they reached the Nightlight tower. He walked side by side with her when they reached the elevator and watched while she pushed the button.

When they got back up to the high floor, Hannah was still humming to herself as they got off the elevator.

"What song are you thinking about?" Angelo finally asked.

"Oh, thinking of a new tune, actually." Hannah said, "You can wait in your room, I'll be right over."

"Okay." Angelo nodded.

The Flareon waited in his room for a very short amount of time before the Cinccino came into his room. He immediately noticed Hannah carrying a few medical supplies with her and winced slightly.

"Yah, I noticed." Hannah sighed, "You don't have to put on a tough act here."

"It's not an act, it really is just a few scratches." Angelo frowned.

"Pft, whatever you say." Hannah said, "But I'm still going to patch you up."

The Flareon sat down on the edge of his bed while the Cinccino set the supplies down beside them. The Flareon lied down on his stomach while the Cinccino carefully worked on different cuts and bruises using sprays that stung him.

After a few minutes, Hannah announced she had finished as Angelo carefully sat back up.

"Thanks." Angelo smiled lightly, "Going to sleep?"

"No." Hannah smiled, "Why do ya ask?"

"Just wondering." Angelo said ,"I'm just not really feeling tired yet."

"Well?" Hannah smiled excitedly, "Wanna watch a movie?"

"Yah!" Angelo smiled, "What movie should we watch?"

"Well... I'm in the mood for a romance." Hannah suggested, "I'll get the snacks."

Angelo nodded with heat in his face.


	47. Chapter 44

A Buneary ran with his hands flying around in the air without a pattern. Another jet of water raced just over his head making his shout rise even louder. The grass beneath his feet was already soaked given he had been running in circles. He was strapped on a small mass of land with the ocean around him and a Blastoise giving chase.

" _You're not exactly avoid the line of fire with this strategy._ "

"His line of fire is everywhere!" Luke shouted.

" _Not if you mess with it._ "

"Jeepers, you're right!" Luke lowered his voice.

The Buneary used agility to fling himself past the more jets of water thrown by the Blastoise and close ground between them. He was just under the Blastoise's chin when he started to circle around the Blastoise's feet.

The Blastoise tried to back up, but the Buneary continued to use light attacks against its feet making the Blastoise aim its water cannons to the ground. Luke immediately jumped at the Blastoise's undefended face and landed a hard blow with his curled up ear extending. The Blastoise let out a shriek before falling on its back flailing it's arms.

" _Use the Arc blessing, before he can get up._ "

The Buneary used bounce and launched himself high into the air before he started to fall back down. He tensed his muscles in his back and right arm before slamming down with a punch on the Blastoise's shell. After a short couple seconds, the Blastoise disappeared in a short burst of light sending Luke on a short fall to the ground.

When Luke looked up, he saw Uxie's hand outstretched to him with a smile on his face. Luke slowly grabbed it and had help getting up.

"I feel like I keep having to tell you an inch for you to go the mile. It's fairly awkward." Uxie laughed.

"I can never get a single idea unless you say something." Luke whined, "It's irritatin me."

"Your ideas aren't bad, they just have a slow start time..." the Uxie smirked, "That's enough training for today, you've got school tomorrow."

"Rgh." Luke growled, "Feels more like prison for being young."

"I completely and honestly agree." Uxie sighed.

The scenery around the pair seemed to fade like a backdrop until they were simply standing on concrete underneath a tiny bridge. Weeds spurting from the concrete were the only other color in sight other than gray. The sky was paved over with gray clouds. The Uxie, now disguised as a Pikachu, gave the Buneary a smile.

"Well, it was close to a calm day." Luke smiled slightly, "Thanks."

"Anything you need." the Pikachu nodded, "Have you thought about what you're going to do about leaving?"

"Well, I can't tell anyone where I'm going. I don't know what to say." Luke sighed.

"They probably won't willfully let a child go out so far on their own, which makes sense. I recommend simply leaving a note." the Pikachu frowned.

"But aren't you going with me?" Luke asked.

"Yes," the Pikachu nodded, "But I'm a complete stranger, and I'm not even registered to even technically exist on record. I wouldn't trust me if I was a parent."

"I feel bad." Luke said.

The Pikachu patted the Buneary on the back.

"I know." the Pikachu sympathized, "You still have a decent amount of time here to make the most of. Don't be afraid to make friends, you won't be gone long."

"You said a year." Luke replied.

"I've been charting a path for us. The time needed is shortening and shortening as of right now." the Pikachu smiled, "Don't worry about it for now."

Luke decided to turn in early that Sunday and woke up an hour before he needed to. Unsure of what to do, he simply did a few muscle building exercises before getting breakfast early. He was surprised to already see the Hariyama and Mienshao awake and active in their simple and pretty white kitchen.

After talking with his family some about what food he liked, he was given a lunch and headed off to school again that morning.

In history class, the Buneary leaned in paying attention to the Grotle teaching them.

"The minor legendary pokemon Entei stands at an average of six-eleven." the Grotle said, "This beastly strong species is born inside of volcanoes around the globe, and you could probably guess that alone from its destructive powers. Many civilizations have been torched by Entei for taking up various injustices, along with criminals and other pokemon of bad nature. Truly an aggressor of justice."

"Mr. Vert?" the Pikachu Maribelle raised her arm, "This legendary pokemon sounds rather..."

"Of course," the Grotle nodded, "I understand. Entei do not go around destroying things they disagree with. If you look at the species track record, all the pokemon dealt with were extremely egregious and harmful."

After class broke out for lunch. the Grotle quietly asked Luke to stay back for a moment before leaving. A short moment after the last pokemon besides them left the room, Mr. Vert addressed him.

"Luke," Mr. Vert sighed, "That pokemon with you the other day, the Pikachu. I'd like an honest answer, was that the Uxie?"

Luke made a facial expression that made the Grotle chuckle once to himself. Luke winced at the look he gained.

"I thought so." the Grotle smiled, "If you ever need a safe place for information or help, just give me a call. Off to lunch."

Luke just blinked and stammered two times before simply nodding and heading out of the room.

When the Buneary reached the cafeteria, he noticed his usual spot had been taken up by a larger more talkative group. A few pokemon in the group waved him over to their table, and the Buneary approached slowly and quietly.

"Hey, Luke." an Oshawott greeted, "What did Mr. Vert hold you back for?"

"Just a homework I forgot." Luke replied dully. Noticing the group was't satisfied with his answer, he gave a little short wave and goodbye before heading off to the table next to them.

" _Jeepers, I should've just kept walking._ " Luke huffed, " _I've never even really talked to them before, no reason to give them gossip._ "

After school that day, Luke noticed a couple of his classmates making strange eye contact with him. He hurried out of the front door that day and nearly tripped running down the stairs. The Pikachu waited at the bottom for him with a strange expression.

"You alright there, Luke?" the Pikachu asked.

"My teacher, uhm, figured it out." Luke said nervously, "I'm sorry, my face gave it away."

"Well, mostly I gave it away." the Pikachu smiled, "Take me back in to see him."

"Well, my classmates were pretty suspicious because he held me back for a short minute." Luke explained.

"Relax, it doesn't matter what your classmates think about it." he smiled, "Let's head back in, shall we?"

After a short moment, Luke gave a calm nod and took the lead back through the hallways into the classroom. When reaching the classroom, Luke looked both left and right to see the Grotle sitting behind his desk calmly. Mr. Vert looked up and gave Luke a acknowledging smile and nod.

"Mr. Vert?" Luke said, "My friend has a favor to ask."

The Grotle blinked surprisingly when the Pikachu walked beside Luke into the classroom. The Pikachu walked ahead of Luke with a calm expression while Luke stood back nervously.

"We'd like for you to chart a trip for us." the Pikachu said, "It's something only you could do."

"A trip?" the Grotle questioned.

"Yes. A trip like the one in your youth." the Pikachu explained, "The legendary pokemon are probably still in the same locations, or very close. We'd like you to chart a path for me and Luke to take."

"W-well, I could chart a trip," the Grotle stammered, "But it's no short task to take it. Just what exactly is going on here?"

"Luke." the Pikachu turned around and faced the Buneary, "You can go and have fun for the rest of the day. I'll be here for a little while explaining things."

"Oh, uhm, really?" Luke asked with his hands behind his back.

"It's not anything you don't already know." the Pikachu smiled, "Maybe pass time at the library.

"Alrighty." Luke nodded.

Luke agreed and simply read at the library for the rest of the day. This time, he picked a book that described some things that Entei have done. Although he didn't remember every detail, he was surprised and remembered some of the facts.

The Meowstic he met two days ago greeted him a couple of times, but other than that Luke was left reading in peace.

For a while in the evening after the library closed, Luke went a on a jog until sunset told him to head back home. He read a book he had rented on his bed in his room until he slowly started to fall asleep.

" _That's not a lot of Enteis on record. Only three. Minor legendary pokemon live for a pretty long time. Mr. Vert must be brave. And strong._ "


	48. Chapter 45

A gray and white Flareon was laughing giddily while lying on his front. A Cinccino beside him was holding an arm over her mouth red-faced.

"Oh my gosh." Hannah finally choked out, "That was not the ending I expected. I never watched this one."

"He did all of that work for her so she could sell it. That was the entire movie." Angelo coughed, "He got so cheesed."

"Well, would you have made the vase?" Hannah asked.

"Of course, I mean..." Angelo huffed, "Ouch. He really thought he had a chance at it, but she was never good in the first place."

"Ok, so if I asked you to make me a vase, would you trust me?" Hannah asked.

"Well, I'm not sure what you'd do with the trust after watching that..." Angelo giggled, "But yah, why not? I'd try and avoid falling in the pit of slime, though."

"Yah, same." Hannah nodded, "Honestly, the whole situation just happened to suck."

"Yeah, well, I hate to break it to you..."

Hannah and Angelo gasped and looked behind them to see a shiny Zorua standing at the now open doorway.

"Whoa whoa whoa." Blue exclaimed, "Relax. I won't tattle, but I've got some meh news."

"Meh?" Hannah repeated, "What is it, Blue?"

"Did you two stay up till now? It's three in the morning." Blue asked.

The Flareon and Cinccino looked at each other before looking back at Blue.

"Well... We didn't plan to, just happened." Hannah answered.

"Well, I better not be hearing that line again." Blue rolled his eyes.

Within seconds, the Cinccino had chased the Zorua out of the room and loudly down the hallway. The Flareon stared at the doorway nervously until only the Cinccino huffing and puffing arrived back.

"Hannah?" Angelo asked, "What if it's all a dream?"

"What? The movie?"Hannah asked.

Angelo gave a low sigh that made Hannah's eyes get a little bigger.

"You're worried about all this being, like, real?" Hannah asked, "Is that it?"

"It feels to good to be true." Angelo mumbled, "It just feels so calm up here."

The Cinccino returned to her previous spot smiling at the Flareon. Angelo looked forward and the other direction to avoid her gaze, but he eventually stared back.

"I know what it's like when the days blend together into a struggle." Hannah said, "I think you should practice just relaxing in the moment. Maybe even not go on a mission some days."

"I don't know what to do when I just sit around." Angelo replied, "Besides, I think things are going fine. I'm making a lot of progress."

"We just don't want you tense all the time, is all." Hannah said, "I'm glad you seem to be fine by me, though."

"Do I look anxious sometimes?" Angelo asked quietly.

"Well, yes." Hannah said. From her tone of voice, Angelo could tell she was saying it lightly.

"I'll work on it." Angelo huffed, "I've got to meet my grandparents this afternoon, so I'm going to get some sleep."

"I'm going for sleep myself." Hannah nodded, "Thanks for being a delinquent with me."

Angelo laughed and nodded goodbye as Hannah switched the lights off.

The Flareon left closing the door slowly behind him and turned to down the hallway to see the shiny Zorua waiting. He had a sour expression on his face and was holding his head.

"Uhm, are you alright?" Angelo questioned quietly.

"Alright as whenever I make fun of Hannah.:"the Zorua frowned, "But hey, I've got some bad kinda news for you. Pokemon are starting to theorize connections about you and legendary pokemon, which is really bad because, uhm, y'know."

"What should I do?" Angelo asked tiredly.

"Well, nothing to do really. I'm just making you aware." Blue shrugged, "G'night."

"Thanks," Angelo smiled, "Good night."

The gray and white Flareon returned to his room for a moment, but still felt completely full of energy. With a shrug, he grabbed his cape and head to the floor level of the building.

When the elevator opened to the bottom floor, Angelo saw it was hardly active with even a few secretaries looking sleepy. Angelo went to a console and checked on available missions. The one on top and most recent addition easily stuck out to him. It briefly described a criminal meeting, but didn't have many details other than happening in thirty minutes with no identity on who asked.

" _I should take this. No one else will._ "

After signing up for the mission, Angelo jogged out of the door needing to make excellent time. The moment he was outside, he let loose and climbed a building quickly before continuing to run above the heavy traffic. He jumped effortlessly over the tiny gaps between buildings.

The mission he took this time was closer to the country than he had been in a long while. The buildings had just started to thin out when Angelo felt comfortable quickly returning to the ground by jumping from a low brick building. He continued much more calmly once he checked his necklace. He walked at a brisk pace while continuously looking down to keep track of himself.

" _I don't like the lack of details, and time. Traps aren't usually set like this for Nightlights because it's inviting trouble, but I can't shake the feeling I've got to approach carefully._ "

Angelo looked up and noticed how bright the sky was. Stars were scattered along with a half moon that made enough light for his fur to shine.

Looking around, he noticed an Eevee eyeing him slightly covered by the shadows. Angelo stopped walking and maintained eye contact with the Eevee until she approached him.

"Hey, are you taking up the mission close by?" the Eevee questioned.

The gray and white Flareon nodded.

"Thank you." the Eevee smiled, "They're in a small construction site. I'll have your back."

" _I'll watch it, anyways._ "

"Alright, make sure you stay back, far back." Angelo advised, "I'll go in front."

"Alright." the Eevee nodded.

The gray and white Flareon began to move again at a slightly faster pace until he turned the corner for the construction site. Beams of steel were reaching up alone surrounded by grass and dirt. Angelo signaled for the Eevee following him to wait, and the Eevee nodded understanding.

Angelo stalked close to the ground and kept himself shrouded in his tail to keep his white fur from shining in the moonlight. He got closer to the construction site and noticed a dip in the ground. His heartbeat increased horribly when he noticed it was empty, and his hearing sharpened instantly.

The gray and white Flareon tried to turn when he was pushed down the slope and slid on his back down the dirt hill. He got on his feet and looked back over the hill to see a Grovyle's shadow standing in the moonlight.

"We couldn't start without you." the Grovyle's deep voice boomed, "Let's get the meeting underway, bandit prince."

Angelo looked up to see a Croagunk and Chatot try and swoop down on him with attacks from above. Angelo avoided both of their jabs by stepping back, but he forced to stop his retreat when a Sunflora and Corphish boxed him in.

Angelo took a deep breath to use the move hyper voice, but the pokemon noticed it and backed away from him. Just before Angelo roared, he heard another yell.

"Yoom-"

Angelo roared using hyper voice, but found that the pokemon around him showed no reaction. He soon felt his attack oppressed by another force coming from above him. Realizing it was another hyper voice, Angelo covered his ears tightly as the force made his knees crumple to the ground. He uncovered his ears a short moment after the attack finished and looked up too see a Wigglytuff standing on a steel beam with a tensed face.

Angelo looked to his left hearing movement down into the pit. A Bidoof was sliding down into the pit on all fours.

"That's the Guildmaster for ya. Yup yup!" the Bidoof smiled.

"Hey," a voice boomed from above, "I helped too, y'know!"

"That looks like shirking to me!" a Chatot chimed, "Get down there and help, good for nothing! This bounty hunt won't do itself."

"Couldn't agree more." Angelo spat.

Angelo raised his paws with the move trump card and sent the move flying into steel beams placed on the ground. They sliced through cleanly and left red marks on the beams as they slid off of themselves.

"Hey hey! Look out!" the Corphish warned.

All of the pokemon around him focused on getting from under the steel beams that were beginning to fall quickly, but Angelo simply walked slowly and positioned himself to only be under the sky. The steel beams clanged around him continuously before the heavy ringing noise started to decrease.

After a short moment, the crowd of pokemon looked down into the pit at the gray and white Flareon. Angelo stared back intensely.

"Oh my gosh! I think that counts as insanity." the Sunflora chirped.

"On guard." the Grovyle said.

"Heh heh..." the Croagunk smiled, "I like his style."

Angelo rolled his eyes seeing the Eevee from before approach the group on their side.

"Oh my gosh! He barricaded himself with those steel beams!" the Sunflora said, "How are we going to attack now?"

"I think we can get it covered!" the Eevee volunteered, "Let's go!"

"Let's leave the rest up to our friends." the Wigglytuff sung, "Let's hold back and see how it goes!"

Angelo noticed movement coming into view. A Pikachu that appeared to be male by it's tail calmly went next to the Eevee. They both nodded to each other before looking down confidently.

" _They're all too skilled on their own for me to deal with, and I don't have to stay because no one else is in trouble. But I can't just let them get away with something like this._ "

The gray and white Flareon pulled himself on top of a small cluster of steel beams and stared back at the group.

"Hold." the Grovyle spoke.

"Huh?" the Eevee's eyes widened and she looked back. "Grovyle, what's wrong?"

" _Grovyle? They're not using their names?_ "

"Look at his fur." the Grovyle instructed, "I think we may have slipped."

"Hey hey!" the Corphish said, "Looks like it's shining."

"Wait a second." the Chatot said, "Does that look familiar?"

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!" the Sunflora exclaimed, "It looks like a time gaugh!"

The Sunflora's rant was stopped buy the Chatot flying in front of her face with thinned eyes.

"S-sorry." the Sunfloara frowned.

"I think we have the wrong pokemon." the Grovyle huffed, "But it doesn't make sense how."

"I thought this the entire time, but no one lists..." the Bidoof said.

"He looks ornery to me!" the Chatot declared, "Look at how much fur he has. Uncouth for sure."

"Meh heh heh." the Croagunk cackled, "Uncouth isn't evil..."

"I mean, he catches outlaws." the Bidoof pointed out, "How bad could he be?"

"Dusknoir." the Grovyle said.

"Oh..." the Bidoof frowned.

Let's try and talk with this new friend!" the Wigglytuff suggested, "Friend, come up here! We'd have trouble hearing you down there."

"I'm fine raising my voice." Angelo responded, "I'm staying right here, in the best position for me."

"He's a smart pokemon." the Grovyle murmured, "Too smart to believe us outright."

"Two can play at this game!" the Eevee declared, "We know you've got some sort of connection with a legendary pokemon because of how your fur is, so you better listen up or we'll tell everyone!"

Angelo rolled his eyes and looked back into the Eevee's serious ones.

"Fine." Angelo spat, "What?"

"We're time travelers!" the Eevee announced.

"Get out." Angelo replied.

"That went well as expected, yup yup." the Bidoof sighed.

"I agree. Get out."

The gray and white Flareon smirked and looked upwards. A Dragonite hovered over the pit with his arms folded and sour expression on his face.

"Friends, we're leaving!" the Wigglytuff announced.

"What?" the Eevee asked, "But we could learn something here from him."

"We need to be on better terms." the Grovyle nodded, "Let's go."

I don't remember saying you could leave." the Dragonite's voice boomed, "Do you, Angelo?"

"Nope." Angelo's eyes widened, "Not this time."

The Grovyle held up a small object quickly, but before Angelo could realize what it was a bright flash blinded him. Angelo thinned his eyes and somehow found himself able to see shadows of the pokemon running away quickly.

After the burst of light ended, Angelo noticed the Pikachu had waited and just turned around to leave. Although he was angry, he just huffed at them.

The Dragonite landed next to him with his feet on the ground. Thanks to the steel beams, Angelo's head was at the same height as the Dragonite's.

"I see you were attacked by time travelers." Lancelot nodded, "Aliens are usually more common than those."

"They were strong." Angelo sighed, "I don't like it. And they might know things baout legendary pokemon that I don't."

"I'm not too concerned, honestly." Lancelot said, "Usually, groups like those are looking for something specific and simply go away afterwards. It's best to keep our focus on truly wicked pokemon. If they wanted to hurt you, they wouldn't have just surrounded you."

"Yah, that's the weird part." Angelo agreed.

"The weirdest part for me is finding my son's signal up and about out here at this hour." Lancelot smirked, "I could use your help with a few errands."

Angelo's ears drooped.

"Just stopping a few weapon smugglers. But I could handle it myself."

Angelo's ears perked up and his tail started to wag back and forth.

"And in case you were wondering..." Lancelot gestured to their surroundings, "It's fine this is a mess because it was abandoned a couple of months ago. I'll make sure this area gets taken care of soon."

The gray and white Flareon jumped onto the Dragonite's shoulder and smiled in his face.

"I should probably just have you go to sleep, but that seems useless." the Dragonite said.

"Yup." Angelo nodded, "Let's go."

The Dragonite stretched its wings and flapped them once furiously to take off in the air.


	49. Chapter 46

A Sentret trudged slowly through a small bundle of bushes. With a growing bag on her back, she picked fruit after fruit, carefully inspecting each one. After a while, she left the small bundle of bushes back onto the open prairie.

A few specks of the drizzling weather under the gray clouds made the Sentret wriggle her nose, but didn't increase her pace. Her small house in the distance stuck out with the acres of land between her and the house being relatively empty.

The Sentret's small family had just finished the harvest season a short while ago. After a day of mostly sleeping, Abigail had gone out to pick some food for supper. She trudged along the ground until she picked up her pace hearing loud voices. She broke out into a run hearing some commotion and seeing an electric carriage parked nearby on the road.

Approaching the front door, the Sentret noticed her father, a Lombre, being taken surrounded by larger pokemon. The Sentret noticed ornaments that revealed the group to be Nightlight agents.

Because of her fear, the Sentret approached the group from the side. The Lombre noticed her and spoke.

"Abigail, take good care of your mother for me."

Before the Sentret could react, a Furret grabbed her hand and quickly brought her back inside the house. Tensed and sweating nervously, Abigail watched the electric carriage leave after all of the pokemon went inside.

"Your father had a rough childhood." the Furret rubbed Abigail's head, "We'll see him again, soon."

A week passed without word until the Sentret heard her mother crying horribly one night. With a letter in her hand sprinkled in tears, Abigail's mother told her that her father wasn't coming home, resulting from a life sentence.

Abigail sat on the news for a month before taking a first step to change the news. Over time, she read completely over the Nightlight Association. There was only one mercy rule for her father's sentence. The only way for here father to ever be released from a life sentence was by a mercy rule given as a power to one of the Nightlight Association's three heads: The Senate, Overlord, and Miracle.

The rule applied to the families of those who were in the positions, and had enough backing for even a life sentence to jail.

Abigail sat down for a long talk with her mother a foggy fall morning. She didn't try to talk her out of it, of course, but her mother warned her of the hard work she would have to start soon. Abigail wasted no time starting that day, and continued to study the books, work the farm, and work harder after everything was done. Abigail agreed to her mother's condition that she could leave for the Nightlight Association when she turned sixteen.

Unsure of which position to head for, Abigail tried her hardest to learn law, combat, and leadership skills with the help of teachers her mother scrambled together money to pay. As seasons rolled by, it became apparent that her given talent was brute strength.

Working the fields and practicing combat everyday had become business as usual, and easy for her. By her sixteenth birthday, she had forgotten what it felt like to be out of breath unless she took the long hours to reach that point.

Abigail had evolved into a Furret quite some time ago, but she never kept track of the day that it happened. She stayed and had a quiet day with her mother until the day after her birthday. The morning came quickly thanks to slight nerves setting in.

Abigail said tearful goodbyes before leaving with a bag over her shoulder. The kingdom of Valor was decently far away, and she had at least a two day period of travel to go through.

Abigail's route was to reach and cross a small mountain range the first day, and move through large forests the second day. She would arrive the third day and find a hotel before heading to the Nightlight Association.

Naturally, Abigail's entire journey was on foot. Thanks to her endurance, the Furret was too deep in thought and hardly noticed the shift upwards when she arrived at the mountain ranges.

Her eyes stretched along with a smile when sunset started to fall. Looking past the trees gave a beautiful and tall view of trees stretching out as far as she could see. The ranges in reality weren't very tall, but Abigail suddenly felt she was looking down on the whole world.

For the night, the Furret made a small campfire and slept in a small, rock clearing. The next day, Abigail continued past into the forest.

Along the way, the Furret noticed many different pokemon living out daily life. Although easily more pokemon lived in cities, plenty of pokemon still lived simply in these forests still inside the country.

After sleepily walking for a few hours, the Furret's ears twitched hearing a commotion to her right. Abigail woke herself up immediately and changed direction while skulking past trees as she got closer.

The Furret came upon a road with an electric carriage and a small group of outlandish looking pokemon. Abigail immediately noticed an Espeon and Umbreon in the center of a group and looked like hostages. They remained silent and had their arms locked together sitting on the ground nearby.

A Growlithe skulked from the back of the electric carriage and approached the group nonchalantly.

"Easier to just take it all." the Growlithe said, "They have to walk."

The Furret huffed before stalking slowly into the street.

"I think you need to walk." Abigail greeted, "Now."

The Espeon and Umbreon suddenly stared back and forth nervously. Their eyes told the Furret to leave, but she stood completely still.

The group of pokemon assembled in a line and revealed their numbers. An Emboar, Growlithe, Swampert, and Electabuzz stared back at her threateningly. The Furret rotated her shoulders and cracked her back as they took aggressive stances.

The Electabuzz charged forward with a basic right swing, but the Furret advanced forward first on all fours and grabbed the Electabuzz's neck and lifted him off the ground with just her left arm. Abigail stood up on both her feet to reveal her stature was much larger than his, and with her right arm she swung across the terrified Electabuzz's face.

All of the Electabuzz's limbs immediately fell, and the Furret haphazardly threw his body back in front of the group. The Emboar reacted by putting the Electabuzz on his back, and led the group to disappear quickly into the woods at a sprint.

The Furret went back on all fours and slowly approached the Espeon and Umbreon.

"Are you two alright?" Abigail asked.

The pair looked at each other with sighs of relief before hugging.

"Oh, bless you. Bless you, sir." the Espeon smiled, "We didn't expect robbers here."

"You're so strong..." the Umbreon smiled, "Where are you from?"

"A farm around here." Abigail shrugged, "Nice to meet you."

"Thank you, thank you." the Umbreon repeated, "My name is Ryan, and this is my wife Janice. We're heading to Valor's main city to meet someone."

"You look trained." the Espeon noted, "Are you a Nightlight agent? Bounty hunter?"

"I've been in training hoping to become a Nightlight agent." the Furret nodded, "That's the direction I'm heading in now."

"You should join us." the Umbreon persuaded, "It's the least we could do, mister...?"

"Uhm..." the Furret stared awkwardly, "Abigail."

"Oh... Oh. Excuse me." the Umbreon laughed slightly, "City pokemon's styles are so different I've forgotten things like this. Care to join us, miss Abigail?"

Abigail thought about it for a short second. Both the Umbreon and Espeon seemed closer to the elderly side, although they were still a while away from being frail. With the likelihood of any tricks or traps being next to none, Abigail nodded.

"Good, good. Let's get moving again before we meet any more ornery folk..." the Espeon suggested.

After a few minutes, Abigail started to relax with the Espeon sowing quietly near her as they sat in the back. They sat in silence for a little while until Abigail decided to start a small conversation.

"So miss Janice." Abigail started, "Who are you meeting in Valor?""

"A family member." the Espeon answered, "For the first time, too. We've been held up from seeing him. He's actually in the N.A."

Abigail just nodded to the Espeon's response.

"How long have you been training?" the Espeon asked.

"Seven, or eight years." Abigail replied, "It's my first time going."

"You must've decided pretty young to be how you are now." the Espeon remarked, "What made your choice, or is it too personal?"

"My dad inspired me." Abigail responded, "So, uhm, what family member are you meeting?"

"Our grandson." the Espeon answered, "We feel bad that we weren't involved in his childhood, but we didn't have the option to be. The situation was complicated, so we weren't-"

The carriage rumbled sending the Espeon's and Furret's heads forward and back again. Abigail wasted no time opening one of the two back doors to see a group of pokemon giving chase on foot.

"Honey!?" the Espeon yelled.

"This is as fast as I can go!" the Umbreon's raspy voice answered from the front. "It's too old for this!"

"I'm not." Abigail nodded.

The Furret pushed open both doors and let them flap violently in the the breeze. She took a deep breath before exhaling the move blizzard straight onto the ground below her. Rugged ice took shape and quickly seemed to approach the group of pokemon, but a Houndoom replied with a long flamethrower attack before they ever reached it. The ice didn't show signs of slowing them down after.

The Furret made another attempt focusing energy into her arms and hands to create focus blast. She fired one after another, but they were mostly unscathed after taking the hits or avoiding them completely. Although they were slowed down, Abigail had to catch a quick rest after her tenth or so time using the move.

"What's it looked like up ahead!?" Abigail yelled asking the Espeon, "Smooth road!?"

"Still a long way to go for the forest!" Janice replied, "It's nothing but this road."

"Brace yourselves!" Abigail yelled back.

The Furret took another deep breath focusing intense strength into her arms forming a hyper beam. She fired the attack with a cry of effort at the group, ground, and trees to cause as much mayhem as possible. Abigail was being completely successful for a short second until she lost her balance when a back wheel was blown apart by an attack.

The Furret was thrown into the air and felt herself hitting her head on the roof before collapsing onto the floor.

Abigail felt dizzy for a short while, but quickly lost track of just how much time passed. When her dizzy feeling started to wear off, she stood up and looked behind herself in a panic. Her stomach sank not seeing the Espeon behind her.

The Furret scurried out of the carriage and quickly climbed on top of it to look around in circles.

" _No, no. C'mon, it has to only have been a few minutes._ "

The Furret peered her eyes for a short moment until she saw a long strand of pink fur on the ground. She jumped off the carriage and landed with a grunt. She slowly approached and picked up the hair to see one next to it.

" _Pokemon can shed when they're stressed._ " Abigail sniffed the fur, " _Perfect trail. I need to hurry._ "

The Furret raced forward as cautiously as possible, keeping her ears ready to pick up any sound that wasn't her. It took Abigail a few minutes of proceeding like this until she heard a large amount of rustling a short distance away. She patiently stayed low to the ground and followed the noise until the group of pokemon reached a point to be in her eyesight.

The group of pokemon had reached a small clearing with a large Charizard carrying the Espeon and Umbreon in one arm each.

" _They're hurt..._ " Abigail noted, " _It must've been from the crash, but these pokemon don't care at all. That's a bad sign, I can't wait._ "

"Leave that N.A. equipment here to make room." a Charizard ordered, "Alright, let's go."

Before Abigail realized it, the pokemon had started an electric carriage as the flying pokemon of the grew took off. The Furret broke into a run, but the carriage had already accelerated well past her sprinting speed. She took mental note of what the carriage looked like and the Infernape controlling it.

Abigail looked around for anything she could use and noticed a small pile of stuff off to the side of the clearing.

The Furret bounded to the pile and sifted through it throwing pointless objects to the side. She suddenly stopped throwing away items when she noticed a small device with a ring attached to some string and a suction cup.

Abigail's hopes soared realizing it was a mobility device that was occasionally used by smaller pokemon in the Nightlight Association. The ring had a button on it that used electricity to send the suction cup shooting outwards quickly, and the same button made the string retract back just as fast. Although it was usually used to clear distance quickly using tall buildings, the trees around Abigail could serve the same purpose.

The Furret slid the ring onto her wrist and aimed carefully at a tree before clicking the button with her finger. The suction cup shot off surprisingly quickly and stuck to the tree easily. She braced herself for a quick second before clicking the button again. The force of the wire sent her soaring forward towards the tree making her cross her arms as she crashed into the the tree and landed on her back with a grunt.

She quickly get back onto her feet rubbing her forearms before taking the cup off the tree with a tug.

" _Ok, need to get used to this fast... This chase isn't over._ "

The Furret took off back in the direction of the tracks that the wheels of the carriage left behind. She took off at a slow jog thinking to herself.

" _It's going to be hard to keep my momentum going. These devices are designed for getting from one far point or building to another, not to replace running. So to go the fastest possible, I'm going to aim for far off trees and kind of hopscotch the distance._ "

Abigail went forward with her idea. After a few tries, she was able to consistently land on her feet after shooting forward.

After just a few minutes of proceeding forward, Abigail noticed heavy sunlight and a clearing of trees up ahead. The Furret came up on a cliff squinting her eyes for a few seconds until she could fully make out the city ahead of her. The buildings in front of her were just close to her height standing on the cliff overlooking the city. The buildings ahead all varied greatly in size, and the Nightlights' huge black tower was much further in the distance.

Abigail scanned the main roads to see a lonely looking carriage matching her memory moving at a brisk pace. She mapped out a route in her head using the buildings before aiming and using her suction cup again.

As carefully as possible, the Furret climbed the short distance to the roof. She darted to the other side of the building and noticed all of the buildings around it were vastly shorter. She stuck the device on the side of the wall and slowly reeled herself down the line. With how incredibly far the line went, the Furret just had to tug on the line to release the suction cup and fall a tiny distance to the roof below.

To cut off the carriage, the Furret used the device to quickly make her way over streets and continued on foot over the rooftops. The ground being a decent distance below her forced Abigail to keep herself looking straight ahead. She gained confidence in the device actually working when she realized she was still a block ahead of the carriage when she reached the point.

" _I need to get them out of whatever trap they have so they can run away... Or should I wait and call for help after seeing where they go... What should I do?_ "

The Furret jumped up slightly and looked behind her at a noise. A Zeraora was on the other edge of the roof standing nonchalantly. Abigail noticed his Nightlight badge around his neck in the shape of a crown.

"Did you put out a distress call?" the Zeraora questioned.

""Er, no." Abigail answered just barely audible. She took a quick deep breath to raise her voice. "There's two kidnapped pokemon on that carriage down there. I just saw it in the forest."

The Furret shouted slightly at a Politoed climbing up behind her. She moved off to the right quickly.

"Ty, you can be scary just coming out of the blue like that." the Zeraora sighed.

"Oh, sorry. I forgot." the Politoed greeted, "You said kidnapped pokemon are in what carriage?"

The Furret went to the edge and picked out the moving carriage again before pointing towards. The Zeraora walked forward on the roof to look over where she was pointing along with the Politoed.

"An Espeon and Umbreon that were headed for the Nightlight Association." the Furret said, "They were taken by outlaws back in the woods."

"I'll report to Lancelot straight away." the Politoed said, "Aden, go make some mayhem. And you... Uhm..." the Politoed's voice faded, "Who are you again?"

"Abigail, training to be a Nightlight." the Furret replied, "I can help, too."

"Alright, you focus on getting them out of there." the Politoed nodded, "Aden will keep em off ya, and I'll join in just a minute."

"I'll take out all of the electricity out of the carriage and then tear it open." the Zeraora said, "Good luck."

"Hail Dragma." the Politoed nodded.

"Not sayin it." the Zeraora crossed his arms, "Alright, time to go."

The Zeraora's body was quickly surrounded by blue electricity until he eventually took off from the roof.

The Furret followed him from the rooftop leaving the Politoed behind. The Furret used the device on the wall of the building and held onto the line to control her swing to the ground. She landed running and quickly moved out of the street and tug her device to detach it from the wooden building. She immediately went off to the side for the street as the carriage was approaching from her right.

As it grew closer, the Zeraora fell to the ground in a flurry of sparks. The carriage continued at the same pace until electricity came out of it in a huge burst and added to the Zeraora's blaze of electricity. The Zeraora started to move quickly closer to the stopping carriage. The Furret stalked low to the ground on the side of the road while pokemon got out of the carriage with scornful expressions.

Abigail stalked behind the carriage as the Zeraora fought the group in front and saw the Espeon and Umbreon inside with a Hitmonlee guarding the opening.

The Furret wasted no time in surprising the Hitmonlee by using ice beam on its legs. As she was running up to the carriage, the Hitmonlee was thrown forward making her duck to her right on reaction. She looked back in the carriage to see both the Umbreon and Espeon standing with frowns on their faces before shifting to surprise.

"Abigail!?" the Espeon exclaimed, "You followed us!? You hit your head badly!"

"Follow me." Abigail nodded, "Let's get out of here. More Nightlights will be here soon."

"How soon!?" the Umbreon yelped. Abigail turned around to see what he was pointing at to see a Charizard landing heavily.

The Charizard stared angrily as the Espeon and Umbreon leaped out of the carriage and cluttered close together behind the Furret's back.

" _I don't think he's an amateur._ " Abigail noted, " _It'll be hard to protect them and fight at the same time._ "

The Furret felt two different arms on her back and looked back at the Espeon and Umbreon.

"Three on one." the Umbreon nodded.

"Keep him at a distance from us." the Espeon whispered.

Agreeing, the Furret used protect and rushed closer on two legs as the Charizard spewed fire from it's mouth. As soon as it ended, the Furret slugged the Charizard across is his face and moved to the side to avoid a sloppy downward slash. When she moved to the side, a psybeam hit the Charizard sending him back and slightly into the air. The Charizard caught himself with a single flap of his wings as the Furret continued to move forward.

A sudden impact from her left left the Furret without breath in a defending position on the side of the street. An Infernape stared at her along with the Charizard while cornering her.

"Who do you think we are?" the Infernape threatened.

"He's alright." the Furret pointed her head towards the Charizard, "But for you, an amateur."

The Furret fired the device and attached the suction cup to the Infernape's chest. She pulled the Infernape closer very quickly before grabbing him by the neck with her left arm and giving him a brutal swing. She tossed the Infernape to the side before looking back at the Charizard with a daring frown.

Before the Charizard could fire a flamethrower, his body lit up in a bright blue flare of electricity. A strong current of water came following afterwards sending the Charizard tumbling off his feet. The Politoed behind took a smug bow while the Zeraora rolled his eyes and smiled.

"Great work! Excellent all around!" the Politoed praised himself, "Spec- Dear lord, what happened to that Infernape!?"

The Furret shifted awkwardly standing in place as the Politoed, Espeon, and Umbreon stared at her and the Infernape with varying expressions. The Zeraora smirked to himself very slightly.

"Honey, I think you need to lie down." the Espeon said.

The Furret looked at the Espeon with a titled eyebrow and concerned look in her eyes. The Espeon calmly approached the Furret.

"Your adrenaline kicked in, but it will wear off soon." the Espeon explained, "You need to lie down."

"A-alright." the Furret blinked.

As the Furret bent down, she felt herself get dizzy. The Espeon dashed forward slightly and caught her before carefully and slowly lying her to the ground.

"You're alright, you're alright." the Espeon 's voice quieted, "Deep breaths. You're alright."

"W-was I, the whole time?" Abigail sputtered, "Just adrenaline?"

The Espeon kept an arm on the Furret's shoulder as she almost felt like she was falling asleep.

"What happened?" the Politoed's voice questioned.

"This kind traveler was following me and my wife after trying to help in the woods." the Umbreon explained.

The Umbreon continued to speak, but Abigail's senses faded to sleep.


	50. Chapter 47 : Golden Love

A Furret's eyes slowly flickered open. The first thing she did was stretch her back taking a deep before looking around with a sigh. The walls were all white along with the sheets of the bed she was on.

" _Nightlight hospital room._ " Abigail huffed, " _Can't believe I fainted like that. That'll look horrible if I ask to work here. Dang it! Dang it..._ "

Abigail just focused on her breathing to calm herself down. She stared at the ceiling for a few minutes before she noticed hearing movement nearby. The door to the hallway outside opened with an Espeon entering. She slowly walked forward with a calm expression and quietly sat next to the Furret's bedside.

"Miss Janice, uhm, hi." Abigail greeted.

"Hello, Abigail." Janice nodded, "How are you feeling? When did you wake up?"

"Just a bit ago. I feel alright..." Abigail's voice trailed, "How long have I been in here?"

"Just a few hours." the Espeon smiled, "I'm actually a retired doctor, so I think I was able to save you a lot of trouble. You saved me."

"The N.A. saved you..." Abigail replied, "I just pointed."

"You've much more credit than that." the Espeon praised, "Thanks to your huge aggression, the group decided to move into the city to avoid anyone else from the forest instead of keeping us out there. You scared them into the city and you were the only reason the N.A. ever found us. You saved me."

"I wish I had a little bit more long range power to just have avoided you being in that situation, but I've been struggling with that for years..." Abigail said.

"Oh, stop changing the subject." the Espeon laughed, "Do you know who I am?"

"No." Abigail said.

The Furret was about to shake her head now, but awkwardly ended up scratching her neck instead. The Espeon noticed and laughed.

"So, why do you want to join the Nightlight Association?" Janice asked curiously.

"Oh, uhm, well. Not sure what you'll think of my reason." Abigail laughed nervously.

"Relax, relax. I'm just curious is all." Janice said, "It seemed very personal. You helping me. You probably would have done it one way or another, but you had a little bit of extra determination for your adrenaline to keep you awake and moving."

"Well, you said you came here to see your grandson. I came here to try and get my dad." Abigail said.

"Oh, I see." Janice smiled, "Where is he? What does he do here?"

The Furret bit her lip slightly, but took a few seconds before she answered.

"In the prison, serving a life sentence." Abigail said a little too quickly. The Espeon looked down before making eye contact again.

"So you're hoping for a very high level position." Janice nodded, "But would you be happy in that position? You've shown you're brave in helping pokemon, but do you want the lifestyle?"

"Of course I don't." Abigail sighed, "But I've got to, at least for a while. And that's even if I can do it... I mean, of course I'd do stuff like this over and over, but this is something I have to do."

"Trading freedom for freedom might not be a trade that he would want." Janice said quietly.

"No, but it's what I want." Abigail said, "So, Miss Janice. Is your grandson a Nightlight agent?"

"Yes." Janice nodded, "But I'll have you meet him later. I think you could use some food."

"Some food?" Abigail repeated with a smile, "Well, yeah. I could definitely go for some food."

"Before you move," Janice said hastily, "You had a bunch of wounds from the crash all over that you didn't even seem to notice, so just move slowly and gently. I'll help you along."

"Uhm, ok." Abigail said.

The Espeon slowly pulled off the white blanket on top of the Furret. The Furret was surprised to see how many white bandages she was covered in. Although she wasn't completely covered from head to toe, bandages could be found anywhere on her body. She started to feel tiny spurts of pain trying to get up.

The Espeon helped the Furret onto her feet. The Furret walked on all fours next the Espeon and slowly followed her out and down the plain looking hallway. The Furret was surprised by how hard she had to focus to not slip on the tile floors, even though the short fall wouldn't hurt.

For the first time, Abigail saw the Nightlight's massive elevator. They only had one large elevator to ensure it could hold some of the largest of pokemon, although only having one made elevator rides take some time.

From the context of the elevator not being crowded, Abigail could guess it was later at night. They rode the elevator up about three floors or so until Abigail followed the Espeon out of the elevator.

"Isn't the main place for food the second floor or so?" Abigail questioned.

"Mhm." the Espeon nodded, "But I'm having you meet someone over some late dinner."

"Uhm, meet who?" the Furret asked.

"Lancelot, or Mr. Acuity." Janice replied, "I assume you know about him?"

"Did I do something wrong!?" Abigail huffed.

"No, no. Relax." Janice smiled, "Lancelot married one of my daughters. My grandson I'm visiting is eating with me and Ryan, and I thought I'd stop by and see if I could invite you as well."

"Uhm, invite me!? Why?" Abigail asked.

"Wouldn't be here without you." Janice smiled, "You and your heroism."

"I'm not exactly looking clean right now." Abigail said.

"My husband never does." Janice joked, "I'll have you sit next to him."

"I, uhm, thanks..." Abigail whispered nervously.

The Espeon continued to lead the Furret down plain hallways and up a short flight of stairs. On the next floor, they came upon a large double doors with the Angel branch's symbol of wings carved into it.

The Espeon opened the creaky doors gently before leading the Furret carefully inside.

Abigail was immediately flabbergasted by the inside. She was expecting an almost futuristic looking room, but immediately inside was a plain hallway with wooden doors spaced apart on either side leading to a small living room area. A Dragonite was conversing heartily with an Umbreon at a rectangular table until they both heard the Espeon lead the Furret in.

"The one who made it happen." the Dragonite smiled, "Have a seat."

"Thank you." Abigail tensed, "It's an honor, sir."

"It's my honor." the Dragonite insisted, "I can't thank you enough, but I'm putting in the effort anyways."

The Espeon made sure the Furret could sit on her own before returning to the other other side of the table next to the Dragonite.

"My name is Lancelot Acuity." the Dragonite introduced himself, "I'm the Overlord of the N.A. Janice is my mother-in-law, and Ryan is my father-in-law. I wanted to thank you personally."

After trying for a quick second, Abigail found herself lost for words and just nodded her head.

"She's a lot stronger than she looks." the Umbreon commented, "Very much more. It was quite intimidating, actually."

"You must be taking the Association much more seriously than most pokemon your age, then." Lancelot smiled, "How hard you train?"

"Uhm, seems relative." Abigail shrugged, "How much is normal?"

"Well, normal is pretty relative too." Lancelot chuckled, "Well, how many hours a day are you doing something physical or mental to train?"

"Well," Abigail thought, "I live on a farm. I'm always moving somehow. My mom helped me find teachers about once a month for the past few years."

"That's some strict dedication." Lancelot observed, "You must be very serious to work that hard."

"Well, as much as I can be." Abigail said, "I'm still unsure about a lot."

"Once you recover, the N.A. has plenty of opportunities to test your skills." Lancelot said, "I think Gawain there has a little input on that."

The Furret turned her head just slightly to the left to see a Quilava hovering over the table's corner.

"There's plenty of official things you can do and work your way up when it comes to testing your skill." the Quilava input, "I only did five or so, and I'm already a new recruit of our Angel branch here."

"Uhm..." Abigail blinked, "I thought this branch was, uhm."

"We are a tad more secretive than that." Lancelot smirked, "Unless we're speaking to potential recruits. Janice was never one to complement a pokemon's strength without really meaning it. She's insulted my left swing a few times."

"First and foremost is you getting better." the Espeon said, "There's no need to rush talking about things like this."

"Of course." the Dragonite nodded, "So what direction were you coming from, Abigail? They usually take odd routes as a courtesy from their navigation skills."

"Dun look at me." the Umbreon quickly replied.

"Uhm, most of our shipments on our farm go to Verity." Abigail answered, "I'm from past the Neon Plains. I left the day before I met you after I turned sixteen."

The Umbreon coughed slightly and patted his throat vigorously while the Espeon and Dragonite both gave surprised looks.

"I'm good." the Umbreon squeezed his eyes shut, "Ugh..."

"You give off an older impression is all." the Dragonite said quickly, "Not sure what it is."

The Furret moved a couple tufts of fur from her face giving the group a combined wide-eyed expression.

"Huh." the Quilava uttered, "I was thinking, like... Mid-thirties."

"Your face being hidden and stature is deceptive." the Dragonite chuckled, "I'm surprised someone so young was traveling alone. You must be truly strong to convince a parent you'd be fine on your own like that..."

"So, you're son is the white star?" Abigail asked, "What was it like first seeing him?"

"I'll tell you when I figure it out..." Lancelot huffed, "I just took him straight back here, really. Felt like I was in rush, but wasn't. It's complicated, but it sounds a little bit like you can relate."

"Yeah." Abigail nodded, "Well, soon."

Abigail let the Umbreon and Espeon lead the conversation while she ate.

After a while, she started to feel a suddenly sleepy feeling and quietly told the Espeon while the Umbreon and Dragonite were bantering. The Espeon escorted the Furret back to her room before she fell asleep.

Abigail woke up calmly on her own. She moved and stretched slightly to test how pain levels to find them much lower than the last night. She trusted herself to move around and sat up before getting her feet on the ground. She passively looked around her room before noticing the bag of her belongings in the corner of the room.

" _Was that there before?_ " Abigail questioned, " _Ah, I better just go to the secretaries downstairs to..._ "

Abigail stopped moving and started to think to herself more deeply.

" _I'm not sure about that Angel Branch. I don't think it currently counts as miracle rank if I join, and I'm not sure if there's a way to get higher out of it... No, that can't be right. The white star is what everyone's looking at for another miracle rank, and there's no doubt about him being in the Angel branch with the insignia on his cape. What's Lancelot making the Angel branch into..._ "

The Furret started to move again bringing her bad back to her bed before checking what was inside. All of her usual things were inside, including her diary and gear she had randomly picked up. Although a bit worried, the Furret read the note left inside of the bag rather than worrying.

The note was short and to the point of telling Abigail to see the head of floor when she woke up. After leaving her room with her bag on her side, she followed the directions in the hallway until she came to a door that seemed different in some way from the others she couldn't quite grasp. She opened it slowly to the now carpeted floors and office look. She wasn't able to take it all in before a Wigglytuff called out to her.

"Wait outside, I'll be just a minute!" the Wigglytuff said kindly.

The Furret made eye contact before backing up slightly and closing the door again. She waited off to the side of the door a little nervous from clanking sounds she heard going on inside. The Wigglytuff came out just a minute later with a tired expression on her face.

"Oh, you're Abigail, yes?" the Wigglytuff asked.

The Furret nodded.

"You're all set to go." the Wigglytuff smiled, "Mr. Acuity said that he already had something added to your phone to contact him whenever you're feeling rested. I'll take care of signing you out. Feel better."

"Thank you." Abigail said.

Just as she was about to leave, the Furret heard a large clank followed by the Wigglytuff's irritated voice. She slowly continued down the hallway until she started to walk at her usual pace again towards the elevator.

After calling the elevator, Abigail took out her phone and searched through her messages until she saw that Mr. Acuity had shown up as a new contact. The Dragonite had left a message to call him when she was situated. She decided to hold off until after she solved the problem of food being on her mind.

Once the elevator opened, the Furret cautiously stepped in and double checked to make sure the second floor was selected. She went off to the side of the elevator to avoid as many pokemon as possible, but the crowding eventually pushed her closer to other pokemon as the elevator got closer to the second floor.

When the elevator opened to the enormous second floor, the Furret waited for the elevator to almost completely clear out before leaving on all fours. She strolled for a short while before finding a place to eat. Before entering, a small area caught the corner of her eye. She quickly decided to hold off for a few minutes and took the path there.

A barren area on a hill with a small dark blue object on top stood out intensely. The tiny area had the feel of a forest even though it was inside. Stairs leading up to the barren area were made from carved stone. The Furret bounded up the stairs to the small area overlooking the rest of the floor before studying the object cautiously.

" _This is odd... Well, no one's alerted by me being up here, so it shouldn't be a big deal._ "

The Furret stood up and grabbed the object with her right hand. As if hit with something, the Furret knelt down quickly before having a dizzy feeling.

" _I've had better ideas, apparently..._ "

The dizzy feeling came and left, but her surroundings looked surreal. The small area she was on was identical to where she just was, but the ocean expanded all around her with fiery colors and no movement whatsoever. The intense and sudden calm was almost scary.

Looking up from where the object was, the Furret saw a colorful pokemon staring at her. She took a moment before having the sense of mind to realize it was a Keldeo.

"Do you do enough, or more?" the Keldeo finally asked, "You should decide before you're only putting half-effort into something important."

"Of what?" the Furret questioned.

"Do you finish what you start?" the Keldeo asked, "Is the good you do full, or only what you have to do?"

Abigail thought about it for a short moment before nodding confidently.

"I strive to, always." Abigail answered, "As much as I can."

"Is as much as you can enough?" the Keldeo asked.

"No..." Abigail frowned, "It doesn't seem like it."

The Keldeo's hooves touched the platform as he walked forward stiffly.

"Not for me, either." the Keldeo sighed, "How is it not enough for you?"

"Saving the ones I love from their own mistakes." Abigail said.

"My nation. My family. My life. I was not enough to save those things on my own from the thief that took them." the Keldeo frowned, "My new form not enough to avenge them, not that it's my right. What can change? What change right now, right here?"

"I can." Abigail said, "But I'm not sure how."

"Together." the Keldeo nodded, "It's good to meet you, Abigail. I am Hikari. I hope we can change. Together. All of us."

"Who was the thief?" Abigail asked.

"I will tell you soon. We need to learn how to face fear, first. In the mountains you crossed is another ally to teach us and train your body. We'll go there when we're ready." the Keldeo smiled, "Let's stay together. Are you ready for change?"

The Furret stood up tall and stared at the Keldeo. She nodded slowly.

"I've been hoping. Wishing." Abigail said.

"Waiting." the Keldeo nodded.

The Furret grabbed onto the base of the Keldeo's horn with her right arm before the dizzy feeling came again.

She was kneeling with her right arm on the object in the ground again. She looked around the floor she was on again to see the crowds passing by nonchalantly continuing as normal before focusing again on the object.

" _Change._ "

The Furret tugged hard and gave a cry at strange golden lightning shooting up out of the ground. She grit her teeth and grabbed onto the object with both of her hands and started to rise to her feet as she pulled. Although by now she was sure the crowd was reacting, she couldn't hear over the screeching of the object.

The Furret turned around and tugged the object almost out of the ground over her back until it came over her back and out in front of her.

Abigail recognized the Keldeo's horn in the light, but it was hard to see anything else besides it's enormous golden glow. The glow felt like a torch that invigorated her, and was connected to her. She took deep breaths letting the glow calm until it disappeared.

Her hands remained having a new golden shine. She quickly realized her fur on her hands was colored a new golden, but before she could question if her whole body was affected pain spurred in her wounds again. She stuck the horn in the ground as a sort of cane to catch herself from falling completely to the ground. Unable to think, she closed her eyes focusing on her breathing as noise erupted around her.


	51. Chapter 48

The Furret slowly opened her eyes after her pain settled. Her heartbeat increased a little hearing the chatter growing around her, but her eyes were fixed on the object she just pulled from the ground. It was the Keldeo's large, blue horn. She recognized that its base had stuck out of the ground before.

The Furret finally looked up and around to notice loud pokemon below the hill she was on. A Simisage alone was climbing the stairs calmly, and the Furret turned to face him.

"Are you alright there, miss?" the Simisage asked. From his voice, Abigail could tell he was older.

"Yeah, u-uhm..." Abigail stared, "Why're they looking at me?"

"Don't pay attention to them right now." the Simisage said, "That weapon has been searched for a long time. The Association's unknown founder used it two centuries ago, and it's remained in this hill ever since. It was brought inside the building about twenty years ago in my time. No one could pull it, and the ground of the hill was strangely invincible to being dug through."

"I've heard of this, but I didn't recognize it." Abigail said, "What happens now?"

"Up to you." the Simisage shrugged.

Abigail looked up worriedly seeing a Dragonite quickly land close to her.

"Let's get you some space, Abigail." the Dragonite nodded, "Come with me."

The Furret followed the Dragonite back to the elevator. She easily noticed his fast pace to keep ahead of the bulk of the crowd, but she held the horn pointing downwards as some of the faster pokemon kept up asking questions rapidly. The Dragonite continued to shrug off the questions for the Furret until they reached the elevator with the doors closing on the crowds.

Although she wasn't sure, Abigail was confident the Dragonite had priority in controlling the elevator. The Furret tapped her feet nervously before the longer elevator ride started.

"Did I do something wrong?" Abigail asked.

"I'd say you've done something right." Lancelot smiled, "That is a very special object here. I think this week may be rather hectic."

"What's going to happen?" Abigail asked.

"Well, I'm not a future seer, but I think we'll have some guests from other governments. You don't seem to know the full story given your confusion..." the Dragonite said, "I suppose for now you just need to know it's a big deal."

The Dragonite looked at the Furret's face for a second before nodding.

"You're fine." the Dragonite said.

"Ok." the Furret nodded.

After a minute or so, Abigail decided to look down at herself again. She stretched out her arms in front of her and noticed her brown fur still were a new gold. She looked down and noticed that the brown rings of fur on herself matched the same new gold color. Her strands of fur felt both tougher and softer somehow.

"My wounds are gone." Abigail said, "I don't feel them anymore. Wait, where did my bandages go?"

"There was an awful amount of energy release when you pulled it. I noticed it from the other side of the floor, so those could have easily burned up." Lancelot reasoned, "I trust that you're feeling alright then, so I'll just have a researcher check in with you from time to time. I'll just have you stay in Angel headquarters to be looked after for a little while. I'll handle the crowds."

The elevator doors opened to another set of empty hallways that the Furret followed the Dragonite down. The recognized the route and grew comfortable seeing the doors back to the Angel branch again.

The inside looked the same as she remembered, but the table had been put away only leaving the couches and chairs facing the televisions.

"Hello, sir!" a voice greeted.

A door in the hallway opened and a Jirachi carefully stepped out and closed the door behind him.

"Oh, is this our same guest from last-. Uhm, sir?" the Jirachi blinked rapidly.

"She pulled it, Kite." the Dragonite nodded, "Angelo will be back soon to help you watch her. I'll be dealing with the media for a few hours."

"Alright sir. Understood." the Jirachi said, "I'll show her to the guest room."

"What should I do with this?" Abigail asked holding out the horn slightly.

"You can just keep it your room or with you. It belongs to you now." Kite said, "The guest room is the third on the left."

"Thanks." Abigail nodded.

The Furret went down the hallway and opened the door to the guest room. The only thing inside beside the wooden walls was a bed with a wooden frame. Although strange, it felt very homey.

The Furret set her bag on the bed and carefully set the horn next to it.

" _Pokemon don't normally use weapons not part of their own bodies, usually because they're so inefficient, so this has to be special to be so famous. I should try and find out about Keldeos... And, I'm still hungry._ "

After sitting for a short minute, the Furret opened her door again and looked down the hallway back inside. A Flareon with white base fur and gray fur confused Abigail a moment thinking she was looking at a Cinccino until she saw his face.

"Hello back there." the Jirachi called to the Furret, "This is Angelo. He'll just be around if you need help finding anything."

"T-thanks for helping my g-grandparents, miss." the Flareon nodded stiffly.

"Not a problem..." Abigail smiled gently.

The Furret stole a glance at the Jirachi, who seemed to notice she responded a lot differently.

"I'll just be in my room monitoring quite a few things." the Jirachi said, "Give me a shout if you have some trouble."

"Sure thing." Abigail nodded.

The Furret looked back at the Flareon as the Jirachi left back down the hallway. His fur was extremely puffy and wild looking, but she could tell he was a lot smaller than most Flareons. His eyes being different colors and fur being white and gray didn't seem as odd as she thought it would be up close. He rummaged through his bag clearly looking for something.

"Whatcha got there?" Abigail asked.

"Just a few gifts I received earlier." the Flareon answered, "They were thank you's for a few things. I guess I kind of owe you one." the Flareon smiled.

"Well..." the Furret's tail swiveled, "I wouldn't turn down one. Is there any place we could eat that isn't downstairs?"

Abigail noticed Angelo's face got a little red thinking for a second.

"Well, what food do you like?" the Flareon asked quietly.

"I dunno..." the Furret's tail swiveled again as she smiled.

The Flareon's expression stiffened slightly as he started to avoid eye contact.

"Well, downstairs was pretty hectic, so I don't think I could get any food from there easily..." Angelo sighed, "I think we have plenty up here. I could make a snack, for now."

"I'd appreciate it. Thanks." Abigail smiled softly.

After a few minutes, the Flareon gave the Furret a neatly made bowl of fruits. Abigail thanked him for it again before going to her room and relaxing for a few moments lying on her bed staring at the ceiling.

" _I should call mom... I'll just tell her I haven't seen dad yet, I shouldn't go into depth when she's focusing on moving in a while. Well... She's not expecting me to even be at the N.A. this soon. I'll hold off for a few days._ "

After a while, Abigail decided to step outside of her room again. The Espeon and Umbreon were both in the lounge area with the white and gray Flareon talking until they noticed the Furret stepping out. Abigail blinked looking at the group's faces noticing some resemblance. Although she didn't notice before, the Flareon's face was rounded just like the Umbreon's.

"Did I make it alright?" Angelo asked innocently.

"Yeah, of course." Abigail smiled, "Is that Jirachi still up here? I wanted to ask him something."

"He's busy right now." the Espeon replied, "But Lancelot is just about to come in."

The Furret turned towards the door to the area creak open with a Dragonite coming in. He stopped in his tracks noticing the four pokemon all staring at him.

"Is there something on my face?" the Dragonite asked.

"No, I just wanted to ask you something." Abigail said, "I think I need to go to the Neon Mountain Range's caves to find something."

"Find something?" the Dragonite asked, "Does it have to do with the weapon?"

"Well, yes." Abigail said, "And it's a, uhm, horn."

"Well, I don't have any official level of control over you, so it's not my place to say no." the Dragonite sighed, "But there's a blizzard happening over in that area soon. You'll need high level assistance, and I'd need you back here by the time politicians and the like from Verity arrive, which should be about in two or three days. The only assistance I could provide would just be supplies..."

Abigail gave a small huff.

"I could go." Angelo suggested, "I could handle the blizzard pretty well, too. With all this noise, I wouldn't even be missed that much."

"My question is if this is something that could wait until after things settle in about a week or so..." the Dragonite said, "But from that look I can see it's not the case. I'll call Marciel to set up supplies for you and Kite to register the expedition. It's a time crunch, so you both should start to get ready now. I'll fly you both out of the building and have a carriage set up outside of the range of all this. Be ready in an hour."

"I can help you pack." the Espeon offered.

"Yeah, thanks." Abigail smiled.

"Alright, I'll be back soon." Lancelot nodded.

For the next ten or so minutes, the Umbreon helped the Flareon get organized while the Espeon went to the Furret's room to help her.

After wondering for a while, the Espeon came up with the idea to have the horn be inside of the Furret's bag with its base sticking slightly out of it. After her small amount of things she would take with her were ready, Abigail waited in the lounge with her bag on the floor next to her in a chair.

The Umbreon and Flareon followed suite.

After a few moments, the Umbreon and Espeon peacefully fell asleep leaving the Furret and Flareon sitting there looking nowhere in particular.

"So," Abigail said, "Have you ever been out of Valor before?"

"Yah," Angelo nodded, "But not recently. I'm actually kind of excited to see what a mountain looks like up close."

Abigail felt her chest get stung by his words. She instantly felt sorry for the Flareon, but only nodded and smiled unable to say anything.

" _Not seeing a mountain before... Wow..._ "

The Furret and Flareon waited patiently until the door into the Angel branch opened again. This time, a Butterfree quietly crept in holding bags in each hand that he quietly set on the floor.

"Thanks, Marciel." the Flareon whispered.

"But of course." the Butterfree replied, "I also have information in there for you to read on your way. Best wishes."

After the Butterfree left, the Furret and Flareon gave in to the sleepy atmosphere and closed both of their eyes. Eventually, Abigail yawned after feeling a tap on her shoulder. The Dragonite nodded to her before tapping the white and gray Flareon on his shoulder to wake him.

Silently, the Furret and Flareon grabbed their things and followed Lancelot out of the doors.

"Afraid of heights?" the Dragonite asked the Furret.

"Not sure." Abigail shrugged.

"Welp, time for a learning experience, I suppose."

The Dragonite led them down the slopes to the previous floor before approaching a window after quickly hitting a red button on the wall. An intense but quiet alarm sounded for a short moment while the window opened to a huge cold wind that never ended. Abigail's stomach dropped looking out of it at the view.

"Ok, yup." Abigial gagged. She turned to the Flareon to find him looking out completely expressionless. "How are you fine with this?"

"Well, even on my own I think I could try and stick the landing from here." Angelo reasoned.

"St... Stick the landing." Abigail repeated, "How many stories high off the ground are we?"

"Forty-nine." Lancelot answered.

"Stick the landing. What the heck are you talking about?" Abigail asked.

"I mean, didn't you jump between ten story buildings?" Angelo asked.

"That was a fourth of this when I was out of my mind on adrenaline." Abigail yelped.

"Something tells me you'll be just fine again." the Dragonite smirked, "Now I've only dropped Angelo once, so we'll be fine."

"He's lying." Angelo said, "I told him to throw me."

"Either you both are lying or I'm walking." Abigail huffed.

"Not lying. Joking." the Dragonite nodded, "Jesting."

"Lying." Angelo smiled.

"Angelo's very literal." Lancelot rolled his eyes, "Alright, let's go."

"I'm walkin..." Abigail shook her head.

"Well, I'd be fine with the normal way if the media wasn't swarming downstairs." Lancelot sighed.

"Why not use the secret tunnel?"

The Furret and Dragonite both gave the white and gray Flareon strange looks.

"The uhm, tunnel. The one you can use the elevator to reach?" The Flareon looked back and forth between the two. "Charlotte showed it to me. I've used it a few times."

"Ugh..." Lancelot sighed, "Well this just looks insane now..."

The Dragonite slapped the button too close the window before the group went back down the hall to the elevator.

Angelo worked the controls for the elevator to continue going down, but Abigail didn't question how it worked being completely unfamiliar with it. Lancelot stared at what Angelo did with the buttons until he gave a both satisfied and unsatisfied huff.

The tunnel itself was uninteresting, but Abigail was surprised that it led about two blocks away from the building. The Furret and Flareon climbed out of a large grate that looked like it was for rainwater.

"You two can just wait here." Lancelot suggested, "I'll have the carriage be here in just a minute or two."

"We'll be alright." Angelo nodded, "See you in a bit."

After waiting cautiously, the electric carriage approached them from turning the street corner. They both quickly stepped inside before they were finally able to relax. They both set down their bags as the carriage started to move again.

"You didn't have to come with me, you know. I've lasted plenty of blizzards." Abigail said.

"Well, the weapon you pulled is said to have a connection to legendary pokemon." Angelo replied, "It's best you have more muscle than you need, and you asked for a gift, so..."

"So you're gifting me your muscle?" Abigail's tail swiveled.

"Uhm, mhm." Angelo shivered.

"I'll always appreciate that." Abigail smiled cheekily.

"D-do you know where in the m-mountains you'd like to go?" Angelo said.

"Not sure. Pull out the map." Abigail said.

The Furret slowly made her way across from the bags to the other side of the smaller space next to the gray and white Flareon. She put her tail just behind his back as he leaned forward while opening up a map on the ground.

The gray and white Flareon leaned back and started to shake after looking at what was behind him. His face gained a dark red color that surprised the Furret, so she decided to focus on the map.

"I'm thinking about caves, so I figured we might have to kind of get a good vantage point and work this like a scan." Abigail suggested.

Although Abigail waited for Angelo to answer, he just continued to shake in place completely unfocused. She pulled her tail from behind him and inched just a drop away discretely.

" _He's not... Well, I don't think he hates me or anything, but he's not comfortable. He doesn't dislike it, but it's like a reflex._ "

"Erhm, w-w-what was that?" Angelo asked.

"I was thinking we could get a couple of different vantage points and scope out for caves from there." Abigail replied.

"Well, that would be good if we didn't have to deal with the blizzard." Angelo nodded, "Unless you happen to have specifics for where to go, we'll probably just have to wait it out for a few hours and then go with your strategy."

"Alright, I'll mark some points when we get there." Abigail nodded.

The Furret observed that the Flareon was still a tad restless. After a few minutes, he seemed to be agitated and jumpy by default.

"Are you aching somewhere?" Abigail finally asked, "You look like you have some pain in your muscles or something."

"Just used my shoulders a bit too much doing something earlier." Angelo said, "Just carrying some stuff. Still tired from it."

"Oh, sorry." Abigail nodded, "I'll let you take a nap. It'll take a decent amount of time to get there."

"Alright, I'll try." Angelo said.

The gray and white Flareon closed his eyes, and the Furret followed soon after.

Although Abigail didn't completely fall asleep,

Some time passed. Abigail's thinking woke up after feeling the carriage stop. She used her tail to slowly pat Angelo's face until his eyes fluttered open.

"Let's get ready." Abigail sighed.

"Yah." Angelo whispered, "Got it."

After the pair grabbed their small amount of supplies, Abigail quickly jotted down points on the map to head too and stuck it in her bag.

After exchanging goodbyes with the driver, the Furret and Flareon started to make their way past the forest to the mountain base. The Furret was constantly looking behind herself to make sure the gray and white Flareon was still following.

Abigail was watching for his expressions turning back often, but she didn't notice any kind of surprise on his face. From what she could tell he still seemed sleepy.

"There are caverns up high where we can bunker down during the blizzard." Abigail said, "Maybe we could bring some firewood. If you see any, let me know and I'll carry it."

"Aren't I supposed to carry it?" Angelo asked, "Well, uhm, should?"

"Well, if you want to." Abigail nodded stiffly.

Although it wasn't visible thanks to the trees, Abigail could tell they were moving uphill. She occasionally stopped as Angelo added to the firewood he was carrying on his back under his bag before pressing on.

Eventually, the trees started to thin out and they could see how high up they were. Abigail looked up and all around the mountainside until she noticed dark clouds in the distance.

"There should be some caves just up ahead that we can bunker down in." Abigail said. She turned back to Angelo, who was staring at the clouds absent-minded. "You all good?" she asked.

"Oh, yah." Angelo nodded, "Sorry. I'm just worried if I have enough firewood. It'll get really cold this high up."

"Well, we don't have time to go back down." Abigail said, "Besides, you're a fire type pokemon and I have plenty of fur. I'm sure we'll be fine."

After continuing up for a few minutes, the Angelo pointed out an opening in the rocky cliffs on the path they were taking up. They reached the inside of it just as light snowfall started.

As she went further in, the Furret was confused about the light in the cave until she turned around and noticed the Flareon gray and white fur seem like it was shining. He looked left and right awkwardly.

"Oh, I uhm... Can do that." Angelo nodded stiffly.

"That fur is awful pretty." Abigail smiled.

Although Angelo's body language and face showed embarrassment, the light flickered brighter for a short moment. Not wanting to make him feel awkward, Abigail turned to setting down her bags against the cave wall.

After a while, the pair agreed to stay about in the center between the caves inner walls and outside and set the firewood down and sitting on opposite sides of it.

Once the blizzard started to pick up, Angelo puffed a small ember and lit the fire. Just as he did, Abigail blinked having an idea.

"You should call your dad and tell him we're alright." Abigail suggested.

"I'll just message him." Angelo sighed, "He doesn't really pick up."

"Oh..." Abigail whispered. The cave's small echo made her expression louder than she meant it to be.

"No, he's... Good. I just, still kind of feel like I'm on my own." Angelo murmured.

"You don't seem to spend that much time around, er, Mr. Acuity. You just look a little tense." Abigail explained.

"I sometimes can go up to three days without even talking to him because he's so busy." Angelo sighed, "Whenever I do get the chance, he's just taking time out of sleeping and it's like he's barely there. It's hard getting..."

"Attention?" Abigail asked.

Angelo nodded.

"My dad made me feel like a princess on our farm." Abigail smiled, "So, when I lost him to jail, it was pretty rough. It was something I didn't want to get used to."

"I guess I sound whiny wanting attention, even if it is just from my dad." Angelo said.

"Nah." Abigail shook her head slightly, "It's not your fault for wanting to be around your dad. Being the Overlord rank is, well, a big deal."

"That's why I'm surprised your not thinking about it more." Angelo said, "Wait, do you know about the founding weapon?"

"The fou- Ohhhhhhh. Oh. Uh oh." Abigail gulped.

Angelo held back laughter with a paw over his mouth.

"Whoever pulls it it set to become the Overlord rank. I... Did not hear what I pulled called that till just now." Abigail blinked, "I... Oh."

"Yah, I thought you had already reacted about it all earlier..." Angelo said, "Uhm, that puts you as Overlord rank after approval. That's what my dad is setting up."

"Wait, you mean Mr. Acuity won't be Overlord rank anymore and they'll just let a sixteen year old start just like that?" Abigail asked, "Isn't that clinically insane or something?"

"Well, I'm sure they'll give you plenty of time to learn from my dad, probably a few years." Angelo said, "And it's still your decision. Pulling the founding weapon hasn't been done since it's been stuck there, but its always meant that whoever does has the right to become the Overlord. It's a tradition, that's, uhm, never happened before."

"So that's why it's supposed to be big news, I guess then. Well, what are you training to be in the N.A.?" Abigail asked.

"Well, the Miracle rank." Angelo answered shyly, "I've still got a ways to go."

"You seem strong enough..." Abigail remarked.

"The issue I'm having, is, uhm... Talking and stuff." Angelo said.

"Well, I do hear it's a pretty social job." Abigail smiled, "But I think you just need some time."

"Or an ambassador..." Angelo huffed.

After a few minutes, Abigail noticed the gray and white Flareon had peacefully closed his eyes and followed suite.

Abigail had peacefully lost track of time until she felt a cold chill bite her left shoulder. She rubbed her eyes open until she noticed that the fire had newly gone out with no wood left to be seen. Angelo must have noticed her moving around because his eyes opened soon after.

"Dang it, I didn't collect enough firewood, just like I thought." Angelo huffed.

"Relax, we're alright. The blizzard doesn't seem to be too intense, it's mostly just chilly." Abigail said, "Hey, I have a question."

"Huh?" Angelo blinked, "Is it my eyes?"

"Oh, uh, sorry." Abigail flinched, "I was just wondering."

"I've always had two different colored eyes." Angelo nodded, "Sorry if it's weird, a lot of pokemon look twice..."

"It's not weird." Abigail shook her head, "I was just wondering if it felt different or something."

"Well, were the rings of your fur always golden?" Angelo asked.

"Nope. I think it got seared somehow by the founding blade when I pulled it." Abigail speculated, "I usually look like any ole Furret, but all of my brown fur got seared this color."

"Well, you may have been seared then, but you look like you're shivering now." Angelo frowned, "I can go get more wood."

"I've walked through worse snowstorms." Abigail bragged.

"Well... I'll come over by you." Angelo sat up, "No reason for you to be cold."

The Flareon walked to the other side of the cave and sat pretty close to the Furret before lying back against the wall. She felt the difference in the air immediately.

"Feels like summer." Abigail smiled.

Abigail noticed Angelo turn his face away and smile embarrassingly. Abigail could still see most of his face since he didn't turn away enough for how close they were.

The Furret stretched her back and raised both of her arms. She lowered them slowly with one of them over Angelo's back, but her ear flickered before she set it down.

"I heard something talking coming this way from out there." Angelo said, "What should we do?"

"They probably live around here and want shelter." Abigail reasoned, "Let's be welcoming, and see if they know something about the mountain to help. Sound good?"

"Yah." Angelo smiled.

After a minute or two, a Croagunk and Bidoof came into view from inside the cave. They both walked in from the side of the cave only to suddenly stop in surprise.

"Hey hey, it's the white star!?" the Corpish yelped.

Abigail noticed Angelo growling before he stood up a walked to the center of the cave with an aggressive stand.

"Heh-heh, looks happy to see us." the Croagunk smirked, "So happy we might get out with our limbs attached."

"What are you doing here?" Angelo frowned.

"Headin hom. Wanna see it?" the Croagunk said, "You're actually sittin right by our front door."

"Angelo?" Abigail stood up.

"They're a bunch of crazy pokemon that call themselves time travelers." Angelo replied, "And attacked me out of nowhere in the city."

"Mistaken identity, white star. Heh-heh." the Croagunk laughed.

"Why don't you step inside our base so we can apologize properly?" the Corphish suggested, "Then we could show you some proof."

"Base?" Angelo questioned.

"Heh-heh, there's a secret passage behind you." the Croagunk said, "C'mon, it's not like we could plan meetings like this."

Abigail's stomach sank slightly when Angelo slightly looked at her and back.

" _I don't think he's the trusting type..._ " Abigail winced, " _Shoot. Of course he isn't. He's bound to be paranoid. I think my only saving grace from him accusing me right now is that I pulled the founding weapon..._ "

"Fine." Angelo nodded, "I know of all of the common tricks you could be thinking about anyways."

"Your reputation precedes you." the Croagunk nodded, "Especially with us."

"Not enough, clearly." Angelo hissed.

The gray and white Flareon moved to the side letting the Corphish past first and then the Croagunk.

"We have our door broken down and then put back up as a thin rock wall." the Croagunk explained, "We have a pal who makes the wall whole again every time we break it down to get inside."

The Corphish slammed his claw against the wall sending it slowly falling backwards. A stone staircase up was revealed that was lit by torchlight.

"No." Angelo frowned.

"I can have your back, Angelo." Abigail said.

"We already used our best idea if we wanted to take you down, white star." the Croagunk shrugged, "I think we're the ones at your mercy at this point."

"Mm, fine." Angelo huffed, "You two in front."

"Alright." the Croagunk nodded, "Let's move."

The Flareon followed the Croagunk and Corphish closely up the stone staircase. The torches were the only source of light for a short moment until there was a growing noticeable light from up ahead.

"Is that daylight?" the Furret asked.

"No, but it sure fooled me the first time too." the Corphish nodded, "It's actually light from something you wouldn't believe."

"Our guild's new home is lit up entirely by moss and stones at night, and we get daylight thanks to our base being built into the cliff side of this mountain letting us see out." the Croagunk explained, "We found a friendly mythical pokemon that made this mountain its home and welcomed us. I suppose I trust you enough to not tell anyone... Heh-heh."

"How big is it?" the Furret asked.

"Quite expansive, like a Nightlight Dome." the Corphish answered, "Oh, we never caught your name, did we?"

"Abigail." the Furret said, "

Angelo was just accompanying me up here. I was looking for something."

"Well, you certainly found something..." Angelo remarked.

Just as the Furret left the staircase, her sight was blasted with light from all directions. She squinted her eyes for a short moment until she was able to take the large view in.

The cave was hugely expansive with pink crystals and blue shining moss all around them. On the ceiling, the crystals grew to frightening sizes, but Abigail could still make out a general shape of the ceiling.

"Are we kind of inside the mountain peak?" Abigail questioned.

"Hey hey, that's exactly right!" the Corphish nodded, "This mountain range is a truce area between Valor and Maroon, outside both of their jurisdictions. It's usually considered pretty lawless around here, but our guild can keep tabs over a tiny area like this."

"At one point, our guild was able to help our entire continent remain under control." the Croagunk said, "Only our closest decided to travel with us to the distant future, dwindling our numbers quite a bit."

"So how is the place organized?" Angelo asked.

"We have living quarters in the form of small caves in here." the Croagunk answered, "Everything else is built outside. All the way on the other side there by those double doors are the Guildmaster's chambers."

"And just why are you inviting them in here, much less there!?" a shrill voice sounded.

A Chatot swooped down from above stopped the group from moving ahead eyeing the Croagunk and Corphish.

"They were waiting outside." the Corphish said, "We thought-"

"Count yourself lucky that blasted Flareon hasn't blown up the place yet and get them out of here!" the Chatot yelped, "We've got no room or time for this silly shrubbery."

"He's not violent, he's defensive." the Croagunk smiled, "Like someone I know."

"Hmmm?" the Chatot stared, "You there, miss."

"Yes?" Abigail nodded awkwardly.

"You're the pokemon who pulled the founding weapon." the Chatot said, "It just reached the news a short time ago, why are you here?"

"I was out looking for something around here, but I'm still not sure what." Abigail explained, "We were just sheltering from the blizzard for a little while when these two found us."

"Well... Alright, we may as well help you be on your way." the Chatot reasoned, "Corphish, Croagunk, you're dismissed. I'll take it from here."

"Heh, always a pleasure." the Croagunk nodded.

"Now you two come with me." the Chatot ordered, "And no lollygagging."

The gray and white Flareon and Furret followed the Chatot side by side past a number of things that stood out. The ground became made out of organized stone that felt smooth and barely had any cracks in it. Although few pokemon seemed to be around, there were signs of activity everywhere with bags piled in groups and different tiny buildings even being there.

"Do you have any clue what you're looking for?" the Chatot asked, "I'm not a miracle worker, even if that is your job description..."

"An ally. Uhm, that's the only hint I have." Abigail's voice trailed.

"If there's something to be found on this mountain, the Guildmaster or our kind host will be able to find it, even if it is a riddle." the Chatot assured.

"Why exactly are you helping us?" Angelo asked.

"I don't see a reason why not to." the Chatot said, "Besides, I guess we, could... Do a favor, because... Alright, I'll let us in. Now try not to be too loud and startle the Guildmaster. We want to avoid any cry of his surprise..."

Opening the large wooden double doors revealed a basic looking cave save for the crystals and moss still blazing with light. A Wigglytuff blinked while standing absentmindedly on a red carpet in the center of the room. Although the room was spectacular with with the moss and crystals, the Wigglytuff's smile drew the most attention.

"Oh, our old friend! And a new one, too. Welcome." the Wigglytuff greeted.

"Friend? You... Oh, whatever." Angelo sighed.

"Guildmaster, these two came by our cave sheltering from the blizzard while looking for something." the Chatot explained, "The white star was accompanying this girl while she was looking for something after she pulled the Nightlight's founding weapon. She says she's looking for an 'ally'."

"Well that's something to think about... An ally..." the Wigglytuff frowned thinking, "Ally. Well, we could be your ally. But I doubt we were what was meant by that."

"I don't think we'd have any reason to trust you as an ally." Angelo murmured.

"Hold your tongue, you!" the Chatot squawked.

"Well, I know two things that are unique to this mountain." the Wigglytuff said, "The mythical pokemon that took us in here, and an old statue that hasn't been seen anywhere else. One way or another, it looks like it's time to call Lady Jasmine."

"I couldn't agree more, Guildmaster." the Chatot nodded, "I'll be back with her in just a few minutes."

The Chatot immediately zoomed past the Furret and Flareon leaving them there awkwardly with the Wigglytuff.

"I suppose I should apologize for earlier, friend." the Wigglytuff said, "You see, we've been looking for a leader of a group of bandit pokemon that's been irritating some livelihoods at the base of our mountain. We assumed too much too quickly hearing your nickname was the bandit prince."

"Why would you assume I'm connected to them based off of a nickname?" Angelo asked.

"Because your nickname was the bandit prince." the Wigglytuff answered.

"That's... A lot of logical fallacies." Angelo sighed.

"Oh, well, the leader of the bandits down there said they had the same nickname and that they had strangely white fur like you." the Wigglytuff said.

"Rgh, fine." Angelo huffed, "Just, whatever. It was a while ago, anyways. But why do you guys call yourselves time travelers?"

"Because we're time travelers!" the Wigglytuff smiled.

The Furret quietly slunk just behind the Flareon's ear.

"It's alright if they're a little nuts." the Furret whispered, "We should be grateful they're helping us speed along here."

"Yah, that's great and all, but he's bouncing an apple on his head like a lunatic." Angelo replied quietly.

"He... Oh, didn't see that." Abigail blinked.

The sound of wings flapping quickly rose as the Chatot entered back into the room landing next to the Guildmaster.

"She'll be here momentarily, Guildmaster." the Chatot reported.

"Good, Lady Jasmine should help you have your problem settled!" the Wigglytuff smiled, "She's fantastic to work with."

"You said her name is Jasmine?" Angelo asked.

At the Wigglytuff's nod, the gray and white Flareon seemed to look around himself with more attention. He seemed to be mentally gasping realizing something, but Abigail didn't even have a guess for what.

Looking at the Flareon, the Furret blinked twice seeing a Diancie almost seem to come out of her surroundings. She moved with her face motionless until she caught the sight of the group. Her red eyes grew as she stared at the Flareon's back.

Abigail shouldered the Flareon and prompted him to turn around to the now fast approaching pokemon.

"Jasmine?" Angelo questioned quietly.

"Light!" the Diancie shouted.

The Diancie quickly hugged the Flareon surprising him for a short second before he returned it.

"Huh!? I'll be! You're that pokemon! Of course!" the Chatot's wings flapped in surprise.

"I don't think Angelo has been around here before." Abigail remarked.

"No, this is a different white pokemon!" the Chatot exclaimed, "He helped Lady Jasmine in her time of need!"

"A feast, a feast for him immediately!" the Diancie yelped as she pulled away. "All our sweetest foods, double time!"

"I-I'll get on it Lady Jasmine." the Chatot nodded, "Goodness. Looks like we have a most special guest."

"When you would like miss Abigail, I can take you to the statue. It's not too far from here." the Wigglytuff offered, "I think your friend might have some things to attend to."

"Thanks, I might take you up on that offer." Abigail nodded.

Abigail turned back to see the pair of pokemon had already left the room.

" _I can take it from here._ " Abigail smiled.


	52. Chapter 49

A Flareon with gray and white fur followed a Diancie as her pace started to slow. The Diancie seemed to almost calm down the more time passed.

"Now that I think about it, you going here means you just kept going straight." the Flareon smiled.

"That's what you told me to do!" the Diancie nodded proudly.

"Oh, I uhm, actually meant it as a figure of speech." the Flareon said.

"I know, but... I couldn't help but take it like that too." the Diancie's tone lowered, "I don't think I ever thanked you for it, Light."

"I guess I rushed you..." the Flareon nodded.

The Diancie's eyes lit up looking around the Flareon's neck.

"Of course. And I didn't even think about it." the Diancie nodded slowly, "The white star. Angelo."

"I see that you still go by Jasmine." Angelo acknowledged.

"You can call me Jazz, or Jazzy." she offered, "You lost your stutter, that's amazing."

"Well, for the most part..." Angelo giggled.

"After all that you've done for me, I'm going to throw you a party." she said, "Still like metal and rock music?"

"Oh, uhm, I'm good." Angelo's tail swiveled.

"Oh, right." the Diancie chuckled, "You embarrass easily. How old were we? Nine or ten?"

"Around nine." Angelo nodded, "How'd you come to make your home here?"

"Well, I found the place by luck. There's so much to tell..." she smiled, "Well, condensed, the story is that I act as a royal for all of the villages around the mountain. I govern the whole region between Maroon and the other two nations. So, the Neon Plains, these mountains, and a lot of forests. It all started when I settled some disputes like how you used to between villages, and it just kept going on from there."

"That's a lot of ground..." Angelo remarked, "I never imagined anything like this."

"I never expected it, but it's the better life I hoped for. I don't think you expected what you found, did you?" Jasmine asked.

"It sort of found me, whatever life it is." Angelo shrugged.

"I was hoping to see a brighter smile..." Jasmine sighed, "Are you alright?"

"Well, yah." Angelo nodded, "I'm probably just thinking about too many different things at once."

"Well, after we eat I'm going to show you every inch of this place. She's my pride and joy." Jasmine smiled, "And I owe it to your bravery."

"I think it was mostly you." Angelo said, "You were always able to settle arguments. I'm surprised you took that talent to another level. So, who are all the pokemon that are here with you?"

"Visitors, guards, and that band of explorers led by the Wigglytuff." Jasmine said, "They prove to be very helpful muscle. I hear that you're pretty strong yourself these days..."

The Flareon looked away shyly at the Diancie's comment.

"I... try." Angelo nodded stiffly.

"I've been trying to get stronger too. Maybe you could help me sometime." she suggested, "Oh, hey. Come over this way. I want you to see something."

The Diancie led the gray and white Flareon to the rock wall of the area. Pink crystals were jutting out of the wall everywhere, and glowing moss also covered a lot of area. The rock underneath was barely visible over the wall.

"I actually made all of those pink diamonds." Jasmine said, "They reflect the light and make this place how bright it is now."

"Uhm, do you mean all of the pink crystals here are diamonds you made?" Angelo asked.

"Exactly." she smiled, "What do you think?"

"It's beautiful." Angelo stared.

After a short moment, the Flareon turned to the Diancie after realizing the small silence. The Diancie's eyes seemed to almost be glowing as she simply stared back smiling with a reddened face.

" _Oh... And I said that pretty earnestly, too._ " Angelo shivered, " _I forget, but complimenting a Diancie's diamonds is the same as complimenting her looks. Not a rule pokemon tend to know..._ "

"How long are you staying?" Jasmine asked.

"I'd have t-to ask how much t-time I have." Angelo said.

"Well, I'll go set a few things up over there and you can make a call." Jasmine said, "Your bags and things are with Abigail still with Wigglytuff if you need them."

"Thanks." Angelo nodded.

After watching the Diancie leave, the Flareon turned on his gadget and made a call to Lancelot. His tail started to swivel impatiently until a voice picked up.

"Hey dad, how long could I stay here?" Angelo asked, "I found an old friend out here."

"Hello there." the voice chuckled, "Abigail needs to be back as soon as possible, but you deserve as long of a vacation as you need. I could come back for you in a few days, or perhaps a week."

"I'll take a week!" Angelo yelped.

"Alright, alright. Keep in touch." the voice said, "I'll give you a call tomorrow morning."

"Ok, got it." Angelo said.

The Flareon smiled to himself before heading in the same direction the Diancie left immediately noticed a lot of Carbink moving around different bags and other objects off in the distance. He kept his eyes focused until he noticed the Diancie calling out commands at the Carbink racing around her.

The Flareon was about to approach the Diancie when she noticed him and closed the distance between them quickly.

"I can stay a week," Angelo reported, "Or shorter if-"

"A week is great." Jasmine smiled, "Personally, I was hoping for more like a month. The longer the better. You'll need your own space..."

The Diancie looked around for a short moment before her eyes stopped.

"Ron!" Jasmine called.

A Carbink responded by stopping and looking before making his way through the tiny crowd to the Diancie.

"Take him to my chambers and have him situated." Jasmine ordered. She turned to Angelo with a calm smile. "I'll come bring you when we're ready down here."

"T-Th...Thanks." Angelo murmured.

"You're welcome to anything of ours." Jasmine nodded, "I'll be right with you in just a few minutes."

The Diancie went back to the other Carbink while Angelo followed Ron out of the crowd towards the deeper end of the cave.

The pink diamonds started to become more and more condensed together quickly forming a sort of hallway. The walls quickly became perfectly shaped into a hallway as they continued until Angelo could make out a door.

"Is that door made out of diamonds, too?" Angelo asked.

"The entirety of her room is." the Carbink replied, "Diamonds themselves are brittle, but she enjoys their splendor as most do. As a Diancie, she is also capable of making different kinds of materials as well. This door works electrically. Push the button."

Among all of the pink, a distinctly red button was where a door handle normally would be. The door slid open itself to reveal a lot to take in.

"No one has ever been allowed inside ever since she first arrived except for you." the Carbink said. "Enjoy your stay."

"Thanks." the Flareon nodded.

The Carbink went back down the hallway as Angelo skulked inside the large room. Just as he walked in, he noticed a bed with a frame made of diamonds just on the right of the inside of the room. Besides that, the room had mostly empty space with the exception of a television and a couch completely made of diamonds facing it.

" _Holy crap, the pillows on the couch are diamonds too. What!?_ "

Angelo quickly skipped to the couch curiously and picked up one of the two pillows on it. It folded in his hands and felt plush like a normal pillow.

" _It feels like there's some bio-energy in it. Weird. She can make pretty weird stuff, then..._ "

"Hey."

Angelo jumped and turned his head, but sighed when he noticed the Diancie looking at him.

"It went much faster than I was expecting." Jasmine smiled, "I have a feeling my room creeps you out a bit."

"No... Why do you say that?" Angelo asked.

"Your tail always gives away everything." Jasmine said, "I still remember the little flow chart I had in my head for it. It's normally, well, normal. Stiff means tense, wagging means happy, and twirling means flattered. When it's straight up, you're angry."

"But why do you think my body language is that easy to read?" Angelo questioned, "I'm not the worst at it..."

"You are the worst at it." she smiled, "That's why I felt comfortable around you. I at least knew how you were feeling."

"And just why did how I was feeling matter to someone in your situation?" he asked.

"Because you were nice. It was actually pretty simple." Jasmine nodded, "But nice wasn't just how you were, you worked on it. I respected that."

"I don't think I'll ever get to where I want to be." Angelo huffed.

"Well, I'm nineteen now, and I realize that the battle never ends." Jasmine nodded, "Everything's all set up. It's just going to be us and the guild. And all your favorite foods, of course."

"You really didn't have to rush..." Angelo giggled.

"I know." Jasmine smiled proudly, "Let's go."

The gray and white Flareon walked side by side with the Diancie back to the main area. An oval table made from sleek, black rock. Food was already at the table with various pokemon that Angelo recognized.

"Hey Jasmine." Angelo said, "Those pokemon kind of tried to attack me earlier."

"Capture, actually." Jasmine nodded, "Their leader's pretty quick to action because they're looking for something that they take pretty seriously. Three of them are on an expedition up north a little ways past Maroon."

"They're weird..." Angelo whispered.

"Relax, I know." Jasmine replied, "They've been helping me out with a lot of needed muscle, they're nice pokemon."

The table quieted down once the pair entered earshot. Angelo continued to follow Jasmine until he sat right next to her quietly.

"Welcome, white star." the Wigglytuff announced, "We'd like to lead off with an apology."

"We were highly skeptical of you thanks to you being related to the Reshiram." the Chatot said, "There's a lot of funny business happening up north, and Reshiram's relation to Kyurem was our biggest lead."

"I'm sorry, Reshiram?" Jasmine questioned.

Angelo's blood started to rush.

"How did you..." Angelo mumbled.

"We're pretty good explorers, yup yup." a Bidoof chimed, "We found lots of information on legendary pokemon after we did some digging up north."

"We deduced from how your fur shines, it's color, and your abilities that you're connected to Reshiram. And Reshiram is connected to Kyurem, which is also connected to the giant blizzard that's been growing near Maroon. And it's growing out of control pretty quickly..." the Chatot said, "That's what Grovyle and Team Pokepals are researching."

"So then, white star." the Wigglytuff nodded, "You've seen or spoken to the Reshiram, haven't you?"

"How is it any of your business?" Angelo hissed.

"That blizzard threatens everyone, that's how!" the Chatot sassed, "We don't want to pry, but we need to know what's causing it."

"Look, stop all of this now." Jasmine ordered, "I want Angelo to finally feel comfortable somewhere, and you're all ruining it. It can wait."

"I'll just tell you to get it over with." Angelo huffed, "It's fine, Jasmine."

The pokemon around the table stared at Angelo attentively. He looked left and right, but found it much easier to talk looking downward.

"I've had a lot of dreams about it." Angelo said. "No one knows why, but Kyurem got depressed and is making the blizzard itself. On the winter solstice, it will lose hope completely and that'll be the end."

"Legendary pokemon are usually emotionally tamed and shaped as well as keys." the Chatot input, "There must be an outside force."

"It looks like we're dealing with a Primal Kyurem." the Wigglytuff said sullenly.

"Reshiram referred to Kyurem's state as Fallen, not whatever Primal means..." Angelo replied, "But the blizzard isn't a normal one, and I'm not talking about the cold."

"Elaborate." the Chatot requested.

"It drains minerals from the soil and life from pokemon if you go too deep, making it a death sentence if it spreads. There's no surviving it unless you have the personal protection of a legendary pokemon." Angelo said.

"Protection like yours, I'm guessing..." the Chatot sighed.

"We appreciate this information, but maybe you could be a little more specific if you're comfortable?" the Wigglytuff asked, "Oh, and Sunflora. Phone them immediately and tell them the information to be careful."

"Oh my gosh, you're right Guildmaster!" a Sunflora flailed.

Angelo looked down thinking about answering as the Sunflora rushed away. He started to space out thinking on his own.

"I'll tell you later, it's not something much can be done about..." Angelo said.

"Thanks for the information." the Wigglytuff nodded.

"I don't appreciate you questioning my guest like this, Guildmaster." Jasmine said, "Even if it is important, it could've waited."

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking too." the Wigglytuff nodded.

"Pardon?" the Chatot blinked.

"I was actually just going to wait until later tonight, but you just took off without me again..." the Wigglytuff huffed, "Besides, you know about our current history and all."

"Well, it seemed pretty pertinent, Guildmaster." the Chatot argued, "Imagine what could've happened if we didn't what we were sending them into..."

"Someone fetch him a towel." the Wigglytuff said, "Lady Jasmine, keep hold on him."

"Eh?" Angelo jumped. He looked over at the Diancie with her hands on his shoulders. "What is it?" he asked.

"Just relax." Jasmine nodded, "I'm here."

Angelo looked back at his tail and saw it shaking around violently. He just noticed he felt out breath and a tad nauseous.

"Just breath in and out, you're fine." Jasmine whispered. Jasmine snapped her fingers calling a rushing Carbink to her side.

"Take him for some 'hefty' relaxation. Calm him down." the Diancie ordered, "I'll be there in just a minute."

A Carbink went on each side of the gray and white Flareon and lifted him up by his arms close to him. He just discovered that his legs felt jittery and weak as they lifted him just slightly over the ground. He focused on trying to get his breath back, but found it wasn't working like it normally does.

" _Just breathe. Ok..._ "


	53. Chapter 50

After a short time of talking with the Wigglytuff, the Furret grabbed her things and followed the Wigglytuff out of the cave they were inside of.

When they first saw the outside, Abigail noticed that the snow had stopped falling along with the howling winds.

"Looks clear to go!" the Wigglytuff sang, "It's not too far from here. It's in a dip in the mountains."

"Sounds pretty promising..." Abigail nodded, "I'm guessing it can't really be recognized?"

"No, we know what it is." the Wigglytuff replied.

"Wha." Abigail gulped.

"It's a legendary pokemon that's dormant, known as Regigigas. We've faced it before, in the ancient past. I'm positive it's what you came looking for." the Wigglytuff nodded confidently, "Feeling a calling to a place like this is no accident."

"I haven't heard of Regigigas..." Abigail said, "It just sounds familiar."

"Regigigas is a pokemon that created the landscapes, like the world's giant gardener." the Wigglytuff explained, "Although other legendary pokemon helped make the world, it was Regigigas strength that let him be the world's architect."

"If it's so powerful, why aren't we taking a little more equipment with us in case?" Abigail asked.

"Regigigas won't attack us, it'll be a friend!" he cheered, "Legendary pokemon aren't bad... On their own."

"Wha." Abigail gulped.

"Don't worry about it." the Wigglytuff said.

Pushing out questions, Abigail just accepted what he said at face value and followed his lead out of the cave.

The Furret and Wigglytuff continued to move upwards. After a short while, the Furret noticed a horizon of the mountain they were on fast approaching.

"We're still pretty far from the peak. Is that the dip in the mountain?" Abigail asked.

"Yup!" the Wigglytuff sang, "Best prepare yourself however you can. Maybe try thinking about why you're here!"

"For my family." Abigail said.

"Sounds good!" the Wigglytuff nodded.

Abigail found herself needing a deep breath after getting to the top of the steep hill.

"You can still just barely see the top of the statue, but the rest of this is covered in snow..." the Wigglytuff sighed, "Maybe we could bring your friend to help?"

"I can handle it if it's too much snow." Abigail replied, "Is it that small rock in the middle there?"

"Yup, that's the top of it. I'll be up here and let you do your thing!" "the Wigglytuff cheered.

"Alrighty..." Abigail murmured.

The Furret tapped the ice carefully with her foot before going on a full slide downhill towards the rock. She slowed down as the rock grew closer, but found it strange that it seemed to be almost smaller than she was.

She quickly raised her arm to dust snow off the rock, but she started feel dizzy beyond standing when she touched it. The feeling didn't fade as she pulled her arm back, but she remained standing up as the dizzy feeling continued and cleared slowly.

Abigail kept her eyes closed while she touched the statue again. After focusing, she could feel like another pokemon was nearby. Although she couldn't feel the vibration of sound in her ear, she heard a voice.

" _There is not much time for us left._ "

" _Uhm, hi..._ " Abigail said awkwardly.

" _Oh, hi You're weird... They usually just want me to lend power and are on their way._ "

" _Lend your power?_ " Abigail asked. She wondered to herself if she was talking aloud.

" _You are my scion now, Abigail. You have access to my special abilties._ "

" _Alright..._ " Abigail replied, " _Since legendary pokemon defend nature, I guess I can trust you?_ "

" _Most don't question me either. You're so self-aware._ "

" _I trust you about as much as your average talking wall._ " Abigail said.

" _Lancelot will brief you about the coming battle. Tell him you are a scion and tell him my name._ "

All of a sudden, Abigail felt alone again. She opened her eyes looking around with her hand still on the rock.

" _How am I supposed to be the weird one?_ " Abigail huffed, " _Well, this wasn't exactly a breakthrough... This is all weird._ "

The Furret slowly climbed back up the hill of snow to the waiting Wigglytuff.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" the Wigglytuff asked.

"Mhm, just underwhelmed a little is all." Abigail shrugged, "I think I should make a call as soon as I can."

"I'm sure it'll be alright. You underestimate the N.A. They can handle nearly anything." the Wigglytuff nodded.

"That's not really what I'm worried about." Abigail sighed.

"What is it then?" he asked.

"I'm wondering why I'm stacked up in a few things..." Abigail said, "I only wanted... Want, one thing."

"Perhaps it's all related. In fact, that's the only reason I could think of!" the Wigglytuff nodded, "It all depends on how important what you want really is."

Abigail chose not to reply, but the silence didn't seem awkward to her as they returned to the cave entrance.

Once back inside, Abigail continued to follow the Wigglytuff back to his room. He promptly sat down in the exact same position he was in before they left.

"I'm just going to make a quick call to the N.A." Abigail said.

"Of course." the Wigglytuff nodded.

The Furret rummaged through her bag and picked out her phone to call. Although her call failed the first time, she tried one more time and received an answer.

"Hello there?" a voice sounded.

"Hello, Mr. Acuity? Just checking in." Abigail said.

"What did you find?" the voice asked.

"Well, uhm, I only have a name. Regigigas." she asked.

"So that's how it is, then..." the voice sighed, "When you come back, we'll have a talk. It's something we're keeping as low profile."

"Could I also ask you to check something for me?" Abigail asked, "Could you check jail records on Herbert Fetch for me and get back to me? Just when you're not busy."

"I can answer that for you in just a minute. I happen to be at our computer." the voice replied.

"Oh, thanks!" Abigail smiled.

After a short silence, the Abigail heard activity on the other end again.

"Herbert Fetch. He was incarcerated in our prison until a couple of weeks ago before he died suddenly of an illness."

Abigail let out a loud grumble before suddenly dropping the phone with both hands covering her mouth.

"Miss Abigail?" the Wigglytuff leaned in squinting his eyes, "Is everything alright?"

After swallowing and wiping her eyes, Abigail turned back towards the Wigglytuff's concerned face.

"Yes." she replied, "Everything's fine."

"Sit down here, Abigail. Let me take the call."

"Okay."

The Furret stalked to the rug while the Wigglytuff swapped places with her and walked just put of earshot.

After just a few breaths, Abigail's loud tears welled back up again. She lied died on her side and pushed her face against the rug. She took a deep breath and looked back up when the Wigglytuff turned back around to her.

"Is there something you want to talk about?" the Wigglytuff asked quietly.

"Mm-mm" the Furret shook her head, "Thanks, but I have to get heading back now."

"Was he a friend of yours?" he asked.

"Yes." the Furret nodded, "Best friend. Thanks for your hospitality."

The Furret stood up shakily and nodded to the Wigglytuff before gathering her things quickly walking out of the room.

The more intense gleam from the rocks and moss in the larger area made the Furret rub her eyes as they tensed.

" _Don't think. Too many around. Just get back._ "

Abigail's eyes dulled as she started a zombie-walk back outside. Her expression cleared back to normal as she left down the staircase. She stopped walking for a short second and rubbed the tears from her eyes before continuing on.

" _Ok, ok. Think about something else. Don't let anyone see you like this. Just make it back to the carriage._ "

The Furret went down the mountain rather sloppily tripping multiple times on her way down. Her thinking was constantly getting sidetracked until one time she tripped and slid down the snowy side on her back.

She suddenly stopped with a yelp and her feet completely buried in snow. She slowly took one out at a time and shook her head.

" _Ugh, still cold. Everything's covered in snow, and it's hard to tell if I'm going the right way._ "

Although little green or brown was visible, Abigail could still make out the trees that became closer and closer as she continued down. The slopes gave way to flat land, and looking around the general area they came from she eventually found the carriage, but it looked like it was a wreckage. Three out of four of the wheels were shattered, scattered, and charred black.

The Furret walked around the carriage and saw holes in every side of it and their driver not found. She felt the side of it with her hand.

" _Still hot from being attacked it looks like. Welp, at least that means one thing._ "

Abigail stood up and looked ahead towards a multitude of different tracks left in the snow.

" _Focus. Let's get moving, fast._ "

Abigail continued moving on all fours sniffing at the snow trail. She didn't keep track of time being uncannily focused on if anything was ahead of her. She was constantly confusing snow falling on her as more bad weather, but it was only drops of it falling from still green trees.

Abigail stood up on all four legs again to have a look around when she noticed dots moving in the distance from the direction of the trail. The trees were quickly thinning out in the direction.

" _I can't get much closer without being in eyesight. What's in that direction again... A river. We're actually heading east towards the sea. Between the mountains and the sea here is just some forests and caves. I can't let them get away, too much could happen._ "

Abigail continued to grow closer to them stalking low to the ground.

She didn't get close to enough to see details of the group until they eventually stopped moving once they approached a large rock wall well hidden by trees. From what Abigail could tell, it was a steep part of the same mountain range. A huge cave was visible once she stealthily looked around a tree, but it didn't seem to be that deep. The back wall of the cave was just barely visible from outside.

Abigail was close enough to name the species of all the pokemon there, but noticed that more pokemon were inside the cave looking as if they were being guarded. They were sitting against the wall with a Weavile and Shiftry looming over them with their arms crossed. Abigail felt a chill seeing them cower.

" _What do they want? Well, it doesn't matter now. I know it's probably just random bandits at this point, unlucky... We're outside Nightlight territory, so anything I do and position I get into is all on me, and I doubt the Unity Order just happens to be around, even if their base is on these mountains the snow was too intense._ "

Abigail sat and thought for a moment as the rest of the group went inside.

" _No, I have to do something. It's not just because of the carriage driver, but I can't leave anyone here just captive like this. But there's just too many of them. I have to try and sneak this, there's no other choice but to wait. It's going to get dark soon._ "

Without warning, a Servine was being dragged out and flung forward just outside of the cave by the Shiftry. She scrambled on the ground, but stopped and stared back up at the Shiftry in fear.

"We don't got room for more, and we can't have you tattling since we need to hunker down till the snow is gone." the Shiftry huffed, "Luck of the draw, kid."

" _Ah, screw me._ "

From the bag on her shoulder, Abigail quickly bounded staying low to the ground and darted to the Shiftry's side. She grabbed the Shiftry's face and threw him back making him fall to the ground and stand himself back up.

"Alright, just who are you? Scram!" the Shiftry yelled.

" _A Sneasel, Pignite, Crawdaunt, Gengar, and Granbull all behind him and no turning around. I need a move to take them out quick before they realize I'm a threat. Get them all near me._ "

"Who are you?" Abigail repeated, "My questions first, mister."

"I don't have time for this." the Shiftry growled.

Abigail kept and eye behind the Shiftry and noticed the rest of the pokemon had stepped forward defensively in front of the cave protecting the back from eyesight.

Strangely, Abigail had an idea of using a rope to lasso all of the pokemon closer to her. She suppressed her instinctively moving arm questioning herself.

" _Wait, I don't have a rope. Why do I feel like I have a rope? That makes no sense..._ "

"Get your head out of the clouds and look where you are, kid." the Shiftry said, "You're a true blue idiot."

" _Okay instincts, time's up. Let's go._ "

The Furret swung her her hand in a quick round-about and threw a golden wire behind the line of pokemon in front of the cave. She quickly pulled the hoop back while using her other arm to easily toss the Shiftry behind herself and quickly carried the Servine back. The pokemon in front of the cave were dragged forward a couple of feet letting the Furret dart over them to get the better position.

The group stood back up with unexpectedly intimidated looks on their faces. Abigail slowly set the Servine down, and she darted back inside of the cave.

"Where'd that rope go? Where'd she get it!?" a Pignite questioned.

"Alright, we're done here." the Shiftry yelled, "Take him out!"

The Shiftry and Sneasel rushed at her from two sides, but the Furret grabbed both of them by their necks the instant they were close enough and held them up in the air on either side. The Pignite, Crawdaunt, Gengar, and Granbull looked at each other before backing away and breaking out into a run.

"They're not running because they're panicked." Abigail observed out loud. She turned her head to each of them with a glare. "Who else is out there?"

"We're the strongest bandits on our own turf." the Sneasel bragged, "You really think we lack the numbers for an annoying little brat"

"Your muscles are three times too small to be talking to your superior that way." Abigail smirked, "Unfortunately, I don't have anything to feed you to, so I think the snow will have to do."

The Furret threw both of them with each arm as far as she could. When they plopped into the snow, they were a couple of yards away and stumbling to race away.

Abigail didn't pay much attention to them running and tried to grasp her imaginary rope again. A golden wire responded with it's appearance when she grasped the cold air.

" _This isn't a new move or anything... It could be that Regigigas. If I follow these weird instincts, there could be more I don't know about. I threw those two way farther than I thought I could._ "

The Furret let go of the golden wire and watched it vanish like dust before turning around to look inside the cave. The pokemon inside had nervously come out of the shadows and became visible.

A Samurott and Serperior looked at her with analytical eyes while a Servine eyes glimmered along with a smile. Two Scizor joined pair of questioning looks on either side of them. A Ribombee she knew as the carriage driver gave her a thankful nod from just outside the shadows.

"You don't look too relieved." Abigail commented.

"We're in a ring of bandit territory." the Scizor on the right explained in a low voice, "Even as elites we were overwhelmed all at once with forty of fifty bandits."

"Where are you heading?" Abigail asked, "To Valor, I'm guessing?"

"It does not look that way now." the other Scizor explained, "There is no action we could take other than wait for a large amount of assistance."

"Good thing it got here in time." Abigail smirked, "I'm from the Nightlight we can steal a carriage from these bandits, my carriage driver back there could get us back for breakfast."

"The bandits around here constantly are in a circle position, and they're closing on us as soon as their other members receive word about what's happened." a Scizor explained, "Our best chance was without you."

Abigail stood dumbfounded for a short second before regaining her composure.

"We are trained soldiers, sir." the Scizor continued, "You should leave while you can and hope we don't fall for this misunderstanding of the situation."

"Look, as much as I don't care about getting respect from pokemon I don't know, you're all coming with me and I'll just cut us a path." Abigail shrugged.

"Miss, if we get out of this alive, you'd be lucky not to be fined for this ill-advised action here." the Scizor replied, "We are very much in a hostage situation right now. And these two parents here don't appreciate you endangering their daughter anymore."

"I can't just leave you here when I know I can fix your situation like snapping my fingers." Abigail groaned, "And I absolutely hate being forceful, but it's no different that I would do it to save someone else."

Abigail's careful watching let her avoid a quick strike from the other Scizor and catch his arm. She quickly brought the Scizor to his knees forcing his arm down making him cry out slightly. The other Scizor was about to move but stopped in his tracks.

"Stop wasting your energy." Abigail yelped, "I'm not suggesting anything stupid if you would see me in any other view rather than inferior."

"And just what view should we see you in?" the Scizor questioned.

"Someone who's trained with pokemon all over the continent very specifically to kick tail since before staying up past nine was allowed." Abigail snorted, "I'd tell you a few other things if they weren't supposed to be secret."

The Furret let go of the Scizor and brought him quickly up to his feet before standing back a short distance.

"If we're in a circle right now, we can prevent combat with almost all of the bad guys by rushing to one side of the circle and bursting through on the path to Valor." Abigail said, "Done right, we can only have to fight ten at most, and you saw what I did to five. But we need to move now before they get the message and close in."

Both Scizors turned toward the Samurott waiting for his response.

"It's a viable plan." the Samurott nodded, "Let's not be defensive to each other and get moving. Pleasantries and lawsuits can wait till after." he chuckled.

"It'll only be fair to sue me if we all die." Abigail huffed and crossed her arms. "I'll take the front."

"I'll be just behind you, sir!" the Ribombee volunteered.

"Alright, let's go." Abigail announced.

Abigail took a minute or two before she was more comfortable about having her back turned to the group. Abigail kept a good distance ahead of them with the Ribombee hovering just behind her back above the snow.

" _This is all sudden... I can cry anytime I won't die because of , I have to tell mom... Let's just get out of here, it's freezing._ "

"Just how far will we have to walk?" a Scizor questioned.

"Hard to say because we don't know how big the circle is." Abigail said, "But it'll be walking distance, that's for sure."

" _These guys might have a lot of money, or are pampered in one way or another. Acting so dressy in a situation like this it's ridiculous..._ "

Abigail continued to walk while avoiding looking back at anyone in the group in particular. Eventually, she started to see specs moving in the distance in the direction they were moving in.

" _The trees are thinning out. The plains and grass should be up ahead soon, and it's getting warmer. This blizzard really is weird weather._ "

"I see activity in the distance." a Scizor reported.

"Stay a little bit further behind me." Abigail replied, "I'll handle this. Let's take a jog."

Abigail started to move at a brisk pace along with the other pokemon, but she quickly started to make tracks faster than them and gained more distance from them. The specs in the distance started to multiply from behind tree and hills. She started to stop in her tracks seeing them making a wall heading closer towards them.

" _That's way too many for them to have been in a circle this whole time. They were all right in front of us all , so that at least means there's a way back, but I've got to make time or path to continue._ "

A Charizard came into view first with a lot of other pokemon behind him. He strutted confidently on the ground clearly approaching the Furret.

" _Alright, let's take him down quick._ "

"Wait!" the Charizard suddenly yelled, "Stay back!"

Abigail waited and stared back at the Charizard's eyes.

"You're that one who pulled the founding weapon." the Charizard said, "You stay away from us."

"What were you doing with these pokemon?" Abigail demanded.

"We were going to order a ransom and be on our way." he answered.

"What on earth do you need money for?" Abigail asked, "There are plenty of pokemon that can live out here just off of the land, me included."

"The things we could want with money are obvious." he replied.

The Furret walked closer to the Charizard until she was just out of the radius of smelling his breath.

"If I hear of trouble continuing in this area," Abigail whispered, "I will personally come put an end to how you live your lives and no one will even blink. Do you understand?"

"You don't have any sympathy for pokemon trying to live out their lives the best way they can, do you?" the Charizard growled, "Not everyone can find enough land for themselves to live the ideal life."

"A few hours ago, I was in a place where I could've said that I get it." Abigail shrugged, "But my sympathy for it all just ran out. Tell your hooligans to stand aside."

"You don't talk about my comrades that way." the Charizard replied coldly.

"Go." Abigail ordered, "And leave us a carriage, any will do."

The Charizard glared at her while turning around until he made sure to take a normal pace walking back to the lines of pokemon behind him. Abigail heard him call out orders for a short minute until the pokemon started to disperse in different directions. Just as she asked, a small group of pokemon brought a carriage closer in range of her before continuing on different directions.

After they were almost all out of eyesight, Abigail turned back and waved the group behind her to come.

The Ribombee was the only pokemon that gave Abigail any kind of surprised expression.

"What did you say to make them go away?" the Ribombee asked.

"Nothing important." Abigail shrugged, "Are you all doing good?"

"We are all doing extremely well." a Scizor nodded, "However, we do believe that there isn't enough room on that carriage for our whole group."

"Well, let's go see." Abigail nodded.

The Furret couldn't help but frown to herself as she started to walk around it.

" _Realistically, it's not big enough for me which is fine of course, but I'm not sure they could get both Scizor's and that Servine. If I just walked, either the Servine or one of those Scizor's would have to join me for there to be enough room._ "

"If I walked, one of you two or the Servine would have to walk with me." Abigail voiced, "The Ribombee wouldn't make enough of a difference, and he can be the one to drive it with one of you two looking out from the top and the other being inside."

"It's hard to make a strategical call here." a Scizor nodded, "And I hope my lieges do not disagree with me harshly for suggesting their daughter walk with you."

"My daughter stays with me, Charles!" the Serperior exclaimed.

"You both need protection." the other Scizor input, "Especially out protection. She's a strong girl, and young. You're both simply a little old to walk this far of a distance."

"The one fact I disagree with is that we don't know who this pokemon is." the Samurott frowned, "And I can't leave my daughter in unknown hands. There must be some type of action we can take in the future if he were to try anything."

"Perhaps we can make an arrangement." a Scizor suggested, "What is your name and where is your business? WE want to know anything you're willing to share."

"Sure." Abigail agreed, "My name's Abigail Fetch, and I just started doing some things for the N.A. recently. I could show you my N-"

"Abigail?" the Samurott questioned, "Are you the one who pulled the founding weapon?"

The Furret just blinked at the Samurott awkwardly not sure what to say next.

" _Why does everyone know about that!? We're in the middle of nowhere and bandits knew about that. This is-_ "

"Of course, the rings of fur turning golden." the Serperior smiled, "You're the one we're going to Valor to see."

"What?" Abigail asked, "Just to see me? Why?"

"It's a tradition for royalty to come greet a new Overlord rank because they are connected inherently to the country's laws." the Samurott explained, "We were taking a route from Verity when we were somehow discovered by thugs."

"That must've been your intimidation factor we just observed." a Scizor nodded approvingly, "Our liege would be in safe and capable hands."

"You know I'm just a random farmer, right...?" Abigail murmured.

"I'd say you have a bit more of a chosen one variable than you realize." a Scizor commented, "But I think we can discuss what the founding weapon means when we're all back safely."

The Samurott turned over and looked at the Serperior gently.

"Well?" he asked.

The Serperior nodded and turned to face the Furret.

"I leave Isabelle in honest hands." she nodded, "She has a way to contact us, so we'll make sure a carriage is sent your way once we arrive."

"I won't let you down, uhm..." Abigail's voice trailed, "Your Grace."

"My... I think I like that." the Serperior blinked, "I like that a lot. 'Your Grace...'"

Abigail huffed when the group of pokemon turned away from her, but her heart rate only slowed down as she watched the carriage start it's bumpy ride through the snow.

"Hi."

Abigail blinked and then looked to her right down at the Servine. She stared at her curiously.

"Hi." Abigail said.

" _Rich ones are weird..._ "


	54. Chapter 51

A Buneary paced back and forth thoughtfully. The grass was soft on his feet with the soothing tone of a river flowing close by to them made it hypnotizing. Uxie stared at him with his head moving in a pattern.

"I got the basics, but how am I sure that I can use a punch of the full Arc blessing on my own?" Luke questioned aloud.

"You won't. You'll have me and two other pokemon helping you. Even I'm not as concerned about that as you are..." Uxie remarked, "I'm concerned about how the scions are going to fare. This is mostly their battle, not yours. Not yet."

"You must be considering you want my bumbling bum as support." Luke nodded, "But isn't the white star pretty strong?"

"He's no older than you are... Perhaps." Uxie's voice trailed, "Well, in any case he's young and prone to panicking. It requires caution."

"Why don't Legendary pokemon choose older scions, and why doesn't anyone know how old I am?" Luke huffed.

"There is already an older scion. He's the only reason a fighting chance is even here." Uxie remarked, "Sogaleo picked a fine pokemon."

"Want to keep talking in the real world now?" Luke suggested, "Your mystery dungeons are kind of weird."

"This will be the last you'll see of my mystery dungeons, actually." Uxie nodded, "We need to make final preparations to head north. I have no doubt the Nightlight Association will be leaving at around the start of November, but we'll need to leave earlier."

"How much earlier?" Luke asked, "It just turned to October, and the time limit is the twenty-first of December..."

"We need to gather two of my old friends living in places along the way. I need their help to keep your body from exploding." Uxie said casually.

"I thought my training was supposed to keep my body from exploding." Luke murmured.

"Doing it yourself with your current level of experience is impossible." Uxie shook his head, "Shall we head back to the real world? You have a field trip tomorrow."

"I don't wanna go to a history museum, though..." Luke whined.

"Honestly, the trip is wasted on children... Perhaps in high school, it could make for a good short trip." Uxie thought aloud, "Regardless, try and see if something stirs your memory."

"How would ancient stuff stir my memory?" Luke questioned.

"I have no idea who you are besides that you have the Arc blessing and what that means." Uxie sighed, "With the level my control is over memories, I am very concerned."

"Well, knowing what I have to do is something I don't have to worry about now." Luke smiled, "The past is the past, no matter what it is."

"The past could impact the future, on a grand scale in this case." Uxie nodded.

"One way or another, the future is ours." Luke pumped his arm, "Hey, that's a cool motto!"

"I've heard worse from you." "Uxie nodded, "Well, let's go back now. You'd best be rested enough to at least stay awake."

Luke went home and slept hard and undisturbed that night.

He woke up on his own twenty minutes before he needed to and carried on the time until he was at school early. He waited with his head on his arm while he sat waiting in the classroom.

Eventually, the seats around him started to fill up more and more rapidly until the teacher eventually came in. A Gardevoir came in instead of a Grotle to take the class on a trip.

After roll-call, the group headed out to walk closely together in the city to the museum. Luke ended up being on the outside of the circle just the tiniest bit away without anyone to talk to.

Just walking through the city and keeping up with his classmates felt like a chore until he noticed the museum. The building had a wide lawn with a few sculptures laid out on the paths towards the building.

The building overall was very wide, but looked like it only had two or three floors.

Eventually, their teacher stopped them just past the entrance and split them off into groups. Luke was paired with a noisy Squirtle named Sam and his friend, a Pikachu named Yasmin.

Luke followed them around pouting with his arms crossed. Although he gave a nod when they were paired, they clearly weren't interested in talking to him or about the museum.

The Buneary looked around occasionally wide-eyed. There were crowns from old villages in displays and paintings that related to the same time period. He looked around at signs curious for where the oldest section of the museum was.

By luck, the two pokemon progressed towards where Luke wanted to go. When they reached the room, it mostly had displays along with a few paintings that were guesses for what the past was like.

Luke didn't notice anything of particular interest until he saw a stone slab as the main display. It had a symbol etched into it that he easily recognized as a Magnagate.

" _I wonder where that could lead... It's not really worth drawing attention to find out, though._ "

The Buneary walked close to the slab tempted to touch the glass over it on the wall.

"Would you all like a tour?" a voice offered.

The Buneary turned with his ears and eyes opening as much as possible. A Riolu smiled with his fingers touching the ends of each other in front of him.

"They're not interested in that sort of thing." Luke spoke up, "You ought to show me around instead."

"Yeah, thanks." the Squirtle rubbed the back of his head, "Let's go check out the statues, Yasmin."

"I didn't think he was a history nerd..." the Pikachu whispered.

The Riolu kept his eyes on the Squirtle and Pikachu until they had turned down the lonely hallway still talking loudly.

"I can't help but notice that you're intrigued by that over there." the Riolu turned, "It's only natural, of course."

"Who exactly are you?" Luke asked quietly.

The Riolu shrugged passively and walked up next to the Buneary staring at the stone.

"I can read Magnagates, you know. The key is in the patterns, they all have a meaning like letters and spell out a word." the Riolu explained, "You know how to do it too, you just have to remember."

"And what exactly are your memories like?" Luke asked.

"A little fuzzy. Like looking through ice." the Riolu replied, "I remember all of the facts, at least."

"Sharing is caring, you know." Luke whispered.

"We were partners." the Riolu said, "Because we both have the same thing. But then you betrayed me."

The Buneary looked to his right and simply glared at the Riolu.

"Look, I'm not tryin to call random pokemon liars," the Buneary frowned, "But-"

"You betrayed me because you stayed true to some questionable morals..." the Riolu answered, "We were soldiers."

"None of that even rings a bell." Luke said, "Also, I'm pretty sure being a soldier at my age is illegal."

"Arc blessing will bring all of that back when you master it." the Riolu said, "And when you remember what you did to me, then I'll be waiting for your apology."

"Do you think I'll apologize?" Luke asked.

"Someone will." the Riolu nodded, "Someone. I'll be keeping around you, Luke."

"Isn't that stalking?" Luke asked.

"Yes, Luke. It is stalking." the Riolu nodded, "Alright, see ya."

"Wait, did I see you before?" Luke asked as the Riolu turned around, "Just as I woke up from wherever I was, I saw a Riolu."

"This is the first time I've found you." the Riolu nodded, "But you better be careful of that pokemon. We all should."

The Buneary watched the Riolu walk out of the room calmly.

" _They definitely are different pokemon... I can't explain it, but I just like him. Hm. Partners. Soldiers._ "

The Buneary stared back at the large stone slab and Magnagate etched into it.

" _Soldier. Luke._ "

The Buneary held a hand to his head feeling slight pain.

" _Slowly. I'll get this._ "


	55. Chapter 52

The gray and white Flareon sat huffing feeling pain trying to speak. The Carbink surrounding him had taken him to a small room with a lone stone table they had set him sitting on.

"Focus on your breathing, calm down." a Carbink said suggestively, "You're having some anxiety right now. Try imagining your'e in a calm place, like the ocean."

The gray and white Flareon shook his head vigorously for a second.

"Mmm, I don't know what the ocean looks like." Angelo huffed, "And I'm fine, I just needed a second."

"You look like you could use a good few hours. Or weeks." a Carbink inputted, "Or years. I know your stressed and all, of course you would be. Would you like to talk about it?"

"That's a rather invasive question." Angelo frowned.

"Does that mean you've never answered it?" another Carbink asked.

"Yes." Angelo nodded.

"Here, lie down on this table face-down." a Carbink offered, "We know how to massage. You look like you really could use one."

Angelo breathed out a small sound before closing his mouth and nodding due to curiosity. He lied down with his head on his hands face-down.

"Alright, deep breaths." a Carbink instructed, "Are you alright with us touching your back?"

"Yes." Angelo said, "Why are you being so careful? Did I really look that bad?"

"Lady Jasmine would be ready and willing to give you a a luxurious life here for the life you have helped her discover." a Carbink replied, "We would be willing as well."

"I feel like I know a few others who would, too." Angelo sighed.

"Go on." a Carbink said.

"Everyone I know wants me to be just in one place, and they're all different." Angelo said, "But I just want to have a look around. I feel like I was just born. Woa-woaaaaaa..."

Angelo smiled with drooping eyes and a moving tail.

"You want to be an explorer?" a Carbink asked.

"I couldn't do that. Well, not forever I wouldn't want to. Maybe on and off." Angelo said.

"You would get to see the ocean. Camp in the forest." a Carbink pointed out, "Travel alone or with whoever you'd like. Have the chance to meet anyone, although exploring is hard sometimes. Survive based on how you're operating yourself. It's like the ultimate freedom."

"I know plenty of pokemon who used to be explorers." a Carbink agreed, "That's exactly what it is. It's like meeting the whole world. Most explorers randomly fall in love an settle down in places everywhere, magical places that-"

"Are you alright?" another Carbink interrupted, "You're crying a little bit."

"It sounds amazing..." Angelo sighed, "But I think I'm crying cause this massage feels amazing."

"You would make a great explorer!" a Carbink exclaimed, "Pokemon are quick to trust you because your kindness is distinguishable from the fake."

"I... Don't know what that means." Angelo said.

"I know what it meant for me."

Angelo looked up just enough to see a Diancie entering the room. Jasmine went in front of the table he lied on and bent down to look at him face to face.

"For me, it meant everything." Jasmine smiled, "And not just being freed from gangs trading me around like money. How I was feeling just became someone else's priority about me, and I never had that before. I think you'd be a wonderful explorer."

"Well, it'd have to wait..." Angelo huffed.

"Not long, and stop your shaking right there." Jasmine said, "After all, you're going to have the full force of the Unity Order on your side."

"Isn't it too dangerous for other normal pokemon?" Angelo asked.

"Luckily, that's not our main muscle." Jasmine replied, "I think we could make you a few tools that could help, but we'll just test you after you take a a good breather."

"I'm ready anytime." Angelo said.

"Do you really feel like moving right now?" Jasmine asked.

Angelo let out a sigh and blushed after he remembered Jasmine was still looking at his face.

"He must use his lower back a lot." a Carbink commented.

"Just a little lower on the right." Angelo muttered.

The Flareon yelped happily and stretched out relaxed.

"It'll take us a while to get ready for you, so you can take your time here." Jasmine said, "See you in a while."

"Got it..." Angelo smiled.

Angelo didn't keep track of it, but he eventually fell almost completely asleep on the table until he slowly felt like moving around a bit. The Carbink had left him a few minutes ago going back to their own business.

The Flareon slowly lifted himself off of the table to the ground and stretched out slowly before moving out of the room slowly.

He looked to his left and right carefully and found a Carbink waiting just outside of the room.

"Lady Jasmine is waiting for you in her quarters." the Carbink nodded, "She would like to show you something."

"Thanks." Angelo replied.

Angelo made his own way back to Jasmine's front door and knocked on it quietly. He heard a small rustling inside, and just a few moments after the door opened.

"You're up faster than I thought. I'm just barely ready to show you something." Jasmine said.

"I didn't want to keep you waiting." Angelo replied, "I have plenty of time to sleep at night."

"Night isn't too far off, just a few hours." Jasmine smiled, "Come inside. There's something I'd like to show you."

The Diancie led the Flareon to one of the walls of her room that seemed to have a small keypad on it.

Jasmine entered what Angelo assumed was a type of password, and the wall seemed to gain cracks like a door and moved downward into the ground.

He kept following the Diancie down the weaving underground path until a huge room came into view.

The only thing of interest in the room was the usual rocks and moss lighting up everything and an enormous black cauldron with stairs leading to the top of it and electronics below and all around the sides of it.

"This is a special armory in that only I can operate it to it's fullest potential. The armor I can make here is from a Diancie's special material." Jasmine explained, "I've never reached the limit of what I can make because of the pokemon using it, though."

"What do you mean?" Angelo asked.

"Whenever I make armor, normal pokemon can only handle basic objects against their body, but I can infuse my material with bio-energy to make it devastating. Unfortunately, any normal pokemon that touches it or tries to use it gets burned horribly by the bio-energy, making it as effective as using lava for a shield."

"I, uhm..." Angelo trailed off.

"Figure of speech, I wasn't thinking about fire types..." Jasmine replied, "I could test you and see how much exposure to bio-energy you can handle and give you as much as you can handle. One way or another, it'll be effective against anything you could possibly fight up there."

"What kind of material is it?" Angelo asked.

"It's a special metal only a Diancie could make. I had to do a lot of research to figure it out since it's so specific, and then train for six months after that to actually get strong enough to do it..." Jasmine huffed, "But I know that you're a pretty strong pokemon, from what I hear."

"What do you hear?" Angelo asked curiously.

"Well, I didn't line up the pieces enough to see it was you till I saw your necklace. I heard the white star was shy and quiet for the most part, but he's always sassy when he's irritated." Jasmine smirked, "But I know now that's he rather unaware of that."

"Sassy? Really?" Angelo asked.

"Uh-huh." Jasmine nodded, "So, when are we testing how much dangerous bio-energy can touch you at a time?"

"Well, I'd be up for it whenever you are." Angelo nodded.

"Good. Get in."

"Uhm, oh." Angelo blinked, "Oh. Is that how this is working?"

"Well, pretty much." Jasmine nodded, "I'm pretty much going to try boiling you with my power and see how much you can take, so uhm. Yeah. Get in."

"Alright..." Angelo nodded.

"I'll let you know right before." Jasmine said, "Give a shout if it becomes too much for you."

"I will." Angelo said.

The gray and white Flareon slowly went up the stairs and looked down into the cauldron. He hopped down after realizing it wasn't as deep as it looked like it would be from the outside.

"I'm going to make it a slow increase." Jasmine announced, "Starting now extremely lightly."

The inside of the cauldron lit up with bead looking objects scattered inside. They each had a white lightning start shooting out of them filling the cauldron. The sparks only made Angelo's fur rustle a bit.

The energy gradually started to increase making the inside of the cauldron brighter and brighter, but far from too intense to look at. He felt the white fur on his arm and noticed it had started to harden in response.

" _I wonder if I could control that myself. I forget a lot of stuff._ "

The energy started to make the inside of the cauldron hot, but it still didn't bother the Flareon. Eventually, the light stopped getting brighter and stabilized with the bottom of the cauldron looking like fireworks with him inside.

The energy inside quickly died down before vanishing completely.

Angelo waited a minute or so before looking up to see a Diancie looking down inside.

"Are you alright?" Jasmine asked.

"Yah, I feel pretty normal." Angelo nodded, "Is there more to it?"

"Nope, that's it besides design and things. Looks like you can handle wearing anything I could make." Jasmine smiled.

Angelo hopped up next to Jasmine in a single bound.

"No one else has gotten past the halfway point." Jasmine said, "Impressive as ever."

"Well, thanks..." Angelo nodded, "What's next?"

"Your aunt happens to be Charlotte Evergreen, right?" Jasmine asked, "I'll get into contact with her to get everything else needed. A world-class engineer that knows you well is a good way past perfect. You should go get some sleep."

"I'm not too tired." Angelo shook his head.

"Then get a massage again to get sleepy." Jasmine laughed.

Angelo rolled his eyes while smiling before starting to follow Jasmine out.

"You're going to get one, aren't you?" Jasmine asked.

"M-maybe..." Angelo smiled slowly.

"You could use one, you look as overworked as broken metal." Jasmine said.

"Well..." Angelo sighed.

The gray and white Flareon's ears perked up when a loud banging could be heard above. The Diancie rushed ahead slightly, and the Flareon rushed up the stairs a moment later to see her opening her door.

"Urgent news!" a Carbink said, "A large weather anomaly is approaching Valor from the north!"


	56. Chapter 53

A Furret trudged with her feet just barely falling under a very light curtain of snow. She was extra aware of the Servine excitedly circling her about once every few minutes.

"Alright, how do I look?" Abigail finally huffed, "That's what you're thinking about, right?"

"Well, you look like an older farmer boy." the Servine said, "But I can see the beautiful Abigail in there."

"Looking like a boy has perks." Abigail mentioned, "I'm not bothered at all."

"But it'll be problematic to have you look like this when presented to the public!" she exclaimed, "Women everywhere will be excited!"

"Yeah, that sounds like a them problem..." Abigail shrugged.

"When we get back, I could have you looking like a queen all your own." Isabelle offered, "The boys will be bowing in no time."

"The boys, huh..." Abigail sighed, "I'm surprised you're so loose."

"My brother Zen usually is the restricted one since he's the one who'll be king someday." she explained, "When I grow up, I want to work in a fashion company. That's what I've been studying about so far."

"So, society and things like that?" Abigail asked.

"Yup!" Isabelle nodded excitedly, "What about you? The longest any pokemon has been Overlord rank for is twenty years, and the runner up is just ten years. That's a lotta life left."

"Fair point." Abigail nodded, "Well, I'd want to live somewhere quiet that's still close to a lot of pokemon..."

"That tone makes it sound so romantic." Isabelle said.

"Well, I'd have to wait and see if it'd be romantic or not." Abigail smiled, "Anyways, a queen, huh?"

"I know just what I'd do for you." Isabelle started, "I'd leave the fur on top of your head the same to keep that tomboy look. I'd slim down and clean up that fur, add some black eye-liner for those gold eyes..."

" _Gold eyes. Wh-... Hm._ " Abigail blinked.

"And a cape. The kind that you tie on to yourself with strings in the front. Not sure what color it'd be. You'd look perfect! Although, I'm not sure what kind of guy you want."

"The white star. That's his nickname." Abigail answered.

"Him!?" she exclaimed, "He's totally famous, but he doesn't look too social. Difficult in so many ways... Why him?"

"He's really hot, and so far he treats me special." Abigail shrugged, "I happened to help out his parents, too. I like them."

"You're pretty open. Why not be open with him?" she suggested.

"You must be pretty forward then." Abigail chuckled.

"One way or another, you'll be irresistible with my ideas." she bragged.

"Mm, I'll take up your bet I guess." Abigail nodded, "Don't let me down, though."

The Furret smiled now walking side by side with the Servine. The snow soon thinned out into patches with wet grass under them.

"Ever seen the Neon Plains?" Abigail asked, "The grass supposedly has so much bio-energy it glows."

"I have, and it's the warm truth. At night, it's like a softer version of daytime. I know it's where I'd propose." Isabelle said giddily.

"It's so overcast right now it's hard to tell what time it is sometimes." Abigail said.

"It's pretty early in the morning now." Isabelle said, "I think you could probably call a carriage to the Plains. It'd be pretty cost, but I could cover it later."

"Sounds like a good idea." Abigail nodded, "And thanks. I'd appreciate it."

The pair kept moving forward until they eventually climbed a plain looking hill with the Neon Plains just over the horizon of it.

Just like Abigail imagined, the grass glowed a neon green along with the green parts of flowers. Although trees were rare, they held the appearance of green fire.

The Plains were the primary landmark separating Verity and Valor. Although they were beautiful, pokemon stayed away from living in the Neon Plains. The place had deep ties to different parts of the world pushing it as a potential origin point of life, and the intense bio-energy in the plants had strange impacts on the mind if a pokemon was exposed to them for a long time straight.

Although Abigail was a bit scared of them for that, she definitely had wanted to go with her dad.

"It's pretty intense here." Isabelle said, "You should go call the carriage on your gadget now. We won't be bothered here."

"I already did. Used a message." Abigail nodded, "It really is intense here. So much life here that it's too intense for normal life. Wasn't the N.A. studying this?"

"They were. They used to have a pokemon called Mary studying this place a lot. It's confusing sometimes, though to keep track of her. She changed her name a couple of times, so I don't think Mary was always her name." Isabelle said, "Most people just think about her in terms of Lancelot now since we know they were married now. Pokemon don't really say a lot about her, though. She was pretty quiet is the only thing I hear."

"So they just don't research it much anymore?" Abigail asked.

"Not really. Too busy with crime and all. They hardly have enough strong pokemon to deal with crime physically." Isabelle replied, "They'll be pretty happy to have you as the Overlord rank..."

"We'll have to wait and see." Abigail shrugged, "Let's go."

The Furret and Servine continued the brisk pace enjoying the wind and sights of the plants. Abigail sometimes had to take deep breaths to calm herself down and keep focused and stop thinking about her dad. She focused on looking at Isabelle, who was playfully toying with plants.

After they reached the end of the Neon Plains over another hill and waited for the carriage to arrive, Abigail decided to take a nap for the rest of the trip. She leaned against the wall with her eyes closed and arms behind her back while the Servine stared out of the carriage's small window.

Abigail only slept for about and hour or so before stretching herself out and looking at the enamored Servine. She looked back at the Furret still wide-eyed.

"Have you ever been to Valor before?" Abigail asked quietly.

"No, but even on the edge of it there's a lot of activity." Isabelle smiled, "Aren't you overwhelmed? You said you were a farmer, right?"

"I came here before a few times to find a trainer." Abigail replied.

"All the way to the city for a trainer? What were you working that hard to do?" she asked.

"To be a Nightlight." Abigail said, "But, uhm, I feel low on motivation lately. Even with all that's happened."

"Pokemon don't give up easily on such a high goal." Isabelle shook her head, "What happened?"

"I had the motivation because I was doing it for someone. I only found out they died a couple hours ago." Abigail said, "I was too late."

"I don't know how much it means to you, but a lot of the greatest heroes are just a little late." Isabelle said quietly, "Think about the why. But I won't butt in."

"I haven't had a lot of time to really think, and it doesn't look like a will for a little bit with all that's going on." Abigail sighed, "So, sorry if I sound like I'm just going through the motions."

The Servine frowned at the Furret sadly but then went back to looking out the window.

" _Veritan royalty is good at psychology, it's how they do politics. I wonder if she's actually trying to help me or not... The safer route is to not really listen to her._ "

"Hey, let's get off soon and head to a salon." Isabelle offered.

"That'd be irresponsible." Abigail shook her head, "Besides, your parents are worried."

"Why don't you call Mr. Acuity and talk to him then?" Isabelle replied, "My parents lost their contact stuff when the bandits came, but if they went on ahead they should be there by now."

"Well, alright." Abigail nodded.

Abigail took out her plain-looking Nightlight gadget from her bag and started the call. She received an answer much faster than last time.

"Hello, sir?" Abigail murmured.

"Hello." a voice replied, "I heard what happened. Are you and Lady Isabelle alright?"

"Yes, we're on our way right now." Abigail said, "She wanted me to call you. Sorry I didn't ask for help earlier, but I wanted to get them out of the cold quickly."

"You can relax, it's alright." the voice replied, "I'm pretty surprised your intimidation alone managed to win that out. It's a good sign. Do you mind if I speak with Lady Isabelle?"

"Not at all. Of course." Abigail said.

The Furret passed her Nightlight gadget to the Servine slowly. The Servine brought it close to her ear.

After talking for just a short minute, the Servine handed the gadget back to the Furret.

"Right here, sir." Abigail said.

"It looks like you're both safe now, so you can go wherever Lady Isabelle wants if you would like. " the voice said, "The news is quite hectic right now, so I don't think the inner part of the city will be particularly fun to visit right now. Just be back tonight for some briefing. There's something that's become urgent."

"Alright, we'll be back by sundown." Abigail promised, "Bye."

"I know of a good salon around here from a magazine I once read. After we get there, I'll have our driver bring us there." the Servine offered.

"Ok..." the Furret blinked slowly, "I'll just take a short nap..."

Abigail was able to rest her eyes much faster with a smoother ride on the roads. She felt a tap as the signal to wake up and rubbed her eyes before looking at the Servine.

"We're here." the Servine said, "Wow, you look really tired."

"Not sure why." the Furret shook her head, "So, what's the place?"

"Queen's Spa and Salon." the Servine answered, "Don't worry, you'll be able to sleep after a nice cut and soaking in all of the nice herbs."

"Soaking in leaves?" the Furret questioned, "How does that work?"

"Come on! You'll see!" the Servine smiled.

Abigail followed Isabelle outside of the carriage and covered her eyes for just a quick second at the sunlight. The sides of the street were only a bit active with a florist Azurmarill next door watering flowers.

Once they entered the large brick building, pokemon started to swarm around the Servine. The Furret was pushed back a ways remaining at the doorstep until the excited employees. She followed from a short distance away until the tiny crowd went away as the Servine was brought into a back room.

"Come on in, no need to be shy." the Servine waved.

The Furret went through the doors inside and looked around at the cushioned lounge chairs inside. The room was dimly lit with lights from above and had candles on the side of water inside. Their scent was the most delicate Abigail had ever smelled. A Chansey waited on the inside taking a small bow to the pair.

"Hello miss and Lady Isabelle. How can I help you both today?" the Chansey asked.

"We'd like the full spa experience, and a cut for Abigail here." the Servine said, "A small cut, keeping the longer fur."

"Sounds good. I will be preparing momentarily. This visit is on the house, of course." the Chansey bowed.

The Furret lied down on a cushion just next to the Servine. She twiddled with her hands a short moment before the Chansey returned alongside a Bellossom. The Bellossom started by using a tool to slowly cut fur while the Chansey was setting up something else.

"So, do you do this kind of thing often?" Abigail asked, "Or am I rather assuming?"

"In my downtime. I have to study a lot." Isabelle said, "You're not wrong, my life is easy. But it's not perfect, but no life really is. What about you?"

"I also studied in my downtime, which was pretty much when my body was too tired to do much else." Abigail said, "Always something related to, well..."

"You can tell me." Isabelle said, "We'll be working together very closely if you choose to become the new Overlord."

The Bellossom and Chansey visibly showed surprise and realization, but Abigail didn't pay the reactions much attention.

"I was trying to get my dad out of jail." Abigail answered, "I spent those years of training just obsessing about it. What I would give for it to be me. But he died before I was ready and came here."

The pokemon in the room felt a glum silence. The Furret immediately decided to speak again.

"I don't really know what I'm doing at this rate." Abigail huffed, "I don't know if I should or not."

"Did you ever go to his prison cell?" the Servine asked quietly.

"No. Not yet." Abigail said, "Why?"

"Lots of inmates leave things on the wall, and they're also allowed to write letters." Isabelle explained, "I think you should go."

The Furret sighed while on her back and looked around thinking

"Just relax for now." Isabelle suggested, "Take your downtime."

"Yah." Abigail nodded.

Although the Furret was thinking heavily, she found that she started to nod off quickly until she eventually fell completely asleep.

Although Abigail woke up a few times, she fell peacefully asleep again after seeing what woke her up. After an hour or two of this, she woke up again and noticed that they were done. The Servine stood at her side innocently waking her up.

"Hey, want to try the hot tub?" Isabelle asked, "I know you're sleepy."

"Sure, I'll try it." Abigail yawned, "Yah."

The Furret slowly stood up and followed the Servine to the next room with the hard, wooden door having a label for ladies. The space quickly opened up into a smaller pool with slight steam coming from the water.

"How hot is it?" Abigail asked.

"Not sure. Try putting a toe in." Isabelle suggested.

The Furret slowly approached the edge of the water and stuck her foot in slowly.

"That's nice." Abigail smiled, "Just right, I'd say."

The Furret and Servine stayed in the hot tub for just a few minutes until the Furret spoke up about it being time to leave. The Servine led the Furret out of the door and back just before the spa's entrance.

"You know..." Isabelle commented, "You might get a lot of looks with how your cut turned out. Maybe you should wear something to cover up so we can just get there."

"How what turned out?" Abigail asked.

"Let's just say you won't be mistaken for a boy." Isabelle smirked, "It's just that having you get attention now would bring attention to me, so I thought it would just be easier to have you wear a cloak for now."

"It isn't all that..." Abigail said, "Uhm... Right?"

"We happen to have one." the Chansey offered, "Of course we'd be willing to help her majesty's escort."

The Furret didn't even bother to check a mirror and simply put on the cloak quickly before following the Servine out. Although she didn't say anything, she was rather excited to hear about what the Servine had told her and wanted to head back as soon as they could.

The pair made it through the city with little effort and no one happening to talk to either of them. It was a tradition to keep royalty's identities secrets until they turned eighteen, so they also didn't have to worry about anyone recognizing Isabelle.

Just when they had entered the area before the black tower's large doors, the Servine stopped walking in front of the Furret and turned around to face her.

"I think I'm fine from here, if you want to go to a different floor." the Servine suggested, "It's the seventh floor. I'll tell Mr. Acuity. Take your time."

The Furret continued to follow the Servine inside, but quickly lost track of her in the elevator. The Furret had to push through the crowd a bit to click the number seven for the floor. She waited for the elevator to make two stops on different floors before it reached hers.

The front for the floor only had a desk with a lone Dusknoir behind a desk. The Furret was the only one to get off quickly before the door closed behind her.

"Hello, sir." the Dusknoir greeted, "How can I help you?"

"Looking for a cell and things left behind from a prisoner here." the Furret explained, "His last name was Frisk."

"Are you a relative?" the Dusknoir asked, "I have orders only to give out information to two pokemon."

"I'm his daughter, Abigail." the Furret nodded.

The Furret pulled back the hood of her cloak evoking a large surprise from the Dusknoir.

"Oh! Young Abigail..." the Dusknoir said, "I heard all about you. By the time we had discovered the seriousness of his illness, it would have been too late for the commute to get here. I'll take you to his cell and have his letter sent to you."

"Mm." the Furret nodded.

The Furret silently followed the Dusknoir down a short set of hallways until he stopped in front of a cell with a tiny window in the corner. The only thing inside was a worn mattress on the ground.

"I talked with your father for a lot of time over the years. He changed me." the Dusknoir said, "He was aware of your efforts."

"What do you think he would want me to do?" Abigail asked.

"Oh, well most certainly it would be whatever you want to do." the Dusknoir said, "He often talked about how he felt he was trapping you into a life you didn't really want. More than anything, he wanted you to make the most of freedom."

"I feel like I don't know what I want to do." Abigail replied, "I don't know if I wasted so much time or not."

"From what your father tells me, the things you do out of love are never a waste of time." the Dusknoir shook his head, "I can't even imagine how to understand what you're feeling, but let it out and flow towards your goal."

The Furret covered her eyes with her am and wiped her eyes. She felt fire in her chest making it hard to breath, but she forced a deep breath to make it subside.

"The cycle has to end somewhere." Abigail growled, "I can't let pokemon continued to be trapped by poverty, groups, any of it. It's time that freedom is no longer an issue when it comes to a pokemon doing right or wrong."

"And what position could you take in life to fight with this?" the Dusknoir asked.

"The position I've been called for." the Furret nodded, "Thank you, but I have to leave for a little while now."

"So soon?" the Dusknoir questioned, "Are you alright?"

"There's something I need to do, but I'll be back." the Furret said, "Thank you."

"Don't forget to let go. We all have our limits we can take." the Dusknoir nodded, "Remember to take some time."

"I will, thank you." Abigail nodded.

The Furret followed the Dusknoir back the the main area of the floor until he went back behind his desk. She stared at the elevator failing to blink without realizing it until her eyes watered.

" _Focus for now._ "

Abigail sighed quietly to herself after realizing she hadn't pushed the button yet.

" _Just focus._ "

The Furret pressed the button to call the elevator and waited for a minute before getting on and pulling up the hood of her cloak again. She shuddered as the door closed and leaned her head down.


	57. Chapter 54

The Dragonite looked down and around the room accounting for everyone. A Meowstic, Buizel, Sky-Forme Shaymin, Jirachi, Victini, Furret, Butterfree, Cinccino, and shiny Zorua accounted for everyone.

"Shouldn't we wait for Angelo to come back?" the shiny Zorua asked, "I mean, he wants to be included."

"I don't think he'd understand just yet." the Dragonite shook his head, "I want him to take his time with this decision, as I want for you all as well."

"Decision? I thought this was just a briefing." the Victini asked, "For our business up north. We haven't made a detailed plan yet."

"I think there's been some misunderstanding on the current situation up north." Lancelot huffed, "You have to look at it strategically."

The pokemon in the room stared curiously before giving the Dragonite full attention again. The Cinccino stood off to the side of the room while the others were all arranged in a semicircle in front of the Dragonite standing in front of the couch.

"Strategic?" a Furret asked, "What do you mean? Maybe what the blizzard's doing?"

"It's moving slowly to pressure Maroon, as you're all aware." Lancelot said, "But I've just received word that the Maroonian government received and anonymous threat the other day. Whoever it was, they claimed to have the blizzard as their own weird sort of power and made a sort of bribe. They want Angelo in exchange for stopping, and even have a meeting point set up. It's too far into the blizzard to take as a joke."

"Angelo is a pretty viable threat with how he set that whole arena of fighting pros on fire." a Meowstic nodded, "But besides that, he's not the most public pokemon. He's not even nearby to the blizzard's origin. Why him?"

"There's something else that ties him in enough for at least some theorizing." the Dragonite huffed, "It's his gray fur."

The pokemon looked at the Dragonite questioningly.

"Angelo's a different class of scion know as Fierce. They have aspects of their body that are different because of how they interact with Legendary pokemon on a deeper level and are stronger for it." the Dragonite turned and stared at the Jirachi, "Kite?"

"Yes." the Jirachi nodded, "We determined from research and genetic testing that Angelo is a scion to a Legendary pokemon named Reshiram that matches the mirage we saw from that stone. However, we also determined that he's a scion to another pokemon as well."

"That is correct." the Dragonite spoke up. He looked around the room quickly to silence some whispers. "And it relates to me."

The Dragonite looked down and pressed his lips together. The pokemon looked at one another nervously until he took in a breath to speak.

"When I was younger, I ran away from my family in Maroon with my brothers. The royal family. Our father was... Well, not good for us. He was a very crazed individual." the Dragonite explained, "I took with me the royal blessing of Maroon, which functions the same as Valor's and Verity's. A sharp increase in a pokemon's natural strength. But that's not all."

"What do you mean?" the Meowstic asked quietly.

"I married Mary Rose Evergreen, a scientist famous for having a huge amount of her own strength. During our timer together, she did some experiments on herself while having Angelo to study trends of parent-child relationships and strength." the Dragonite placed his hand over his eyes, "I didn't expect the results, but both our genetics combined with the accidental results of these experiments made Angelo's bio-energy so high it wouldn't be good for his life in the long run."

The pokemon looked at each other and back at the Dragonite.

"Anxiety, rage, and other things. But this impossible amount of bio-energy is apparently enough to let his body be capable of becoming a scion to two Legendary pokemon." the Dragonite said, "We could already tell from when he was born that it would make his life so stressful, but somehow the underground received word about him and stole him away from us trying to use him like a tool."

"With slight research and some tests that Angelo wasn't really aware of, we easily concluded he's also Kyurem's scion as well." the Jirachi spoke up, "However, Kyurem's crazed state doesn't synchronize with him at all. With information that we have now as well, we know that Kyurem has another scion that's actively acting out."

"They're after your son, aren't they?" the Buttefree asked quietly.

The Dragonite nodded to the quiet room.

"I have to defend my son with everything we've got, and not fail this time." the Dragonite said loudly, "This pokemon is much more dangerous than anything the Association has faced so far. A weather anomaly is fast approaching Valor and is about a week out at this rate of speed. The hailstorm is destroying anything in its path. Angelo's returning home with an old friend that can create weapons that are the things of legends and will be back in a few hours."

"We all need to prepare for battle." the Jirachi spoke up, "Everyone in this room is going to become a scion or already is one, and we need to defend one of our own to carry out the mission of peace on Earth. Angelo's story has bee rough so far, but this is our first opportunity to see to it that he finally has a little peace of his own."

"We're meeting whatever we have to fight in the Neon Plains, six days from now." the Dragonite announced, "If the storm reaches Valor, the damage will be intense. Hannah, Ariel, Blue, I need you three to team up in keeping Angelo's anxiety in check. He's more trusting of you three. Other than that, everyone keep moving towards bettering our chances out there."

"Uhm, me sir?" the Shaymin questioned.

"Yes." the Dragonite nodded to her, "The small things are visible for me."

"How are we going to explain the mission to the public?" the shiny Zorua asked, "It's a little bit out in the open."

"There's no other way to explain it but truthfully, and since we need all we can get that's our only option." the Dragonite sighed, "The Angel branch will no longer have that many secrets left, other than deeper parts of our identities. But right now, it doesn't really matter what the public thinks anymore. There's no telling what could happen if Angelo is even exposed to this pokemon."

"I'm willing to do whatever it takes." the Cinccino spoke up, "He's one of our own."

The shiny Zorua snickered lightly getting him a glare from the standing Cinccino.

"The whole conference with Valor and Verity's governments will be including both Abigail's new status and this emergency course of events, and it will all be public. Try to keep your faces straight out in public." the Dragonite said, "With this our meeting's over. Expect a whole lot of attention from here on out."

The Dragonite nodded and looked quickly at each pokemon in the group before standing up and leaving the room.

"Hey, at least we'll finally be appreciated, guys." the shiny Zorua spoke up, "It's a double-edged sword."

"You're correct." the Jirachi nodded, "All we have to do is change the way we operate. There isn't a need to look so down. It will be a challenge, but there are things we can gain from this."

"Fame and maybe a little bit of fortune." the Furret commented, "Nothing that's actually important."

"Sir!"

The group turned to the door seeing the Victini calling out. The Victini backed out of the doorway when the Dragonite returned quickly and peered inside before stepping in again.

"Yes?" Lancelot questioned, "What is it?"

"There has to be another way, sir." the Victini said, "What if we handled it ourselves?"

"Secret identities has been a huge boost for our work." the Cinccino agreed, "Our lives. We've gotten the drop on so many situations because no one ever sees us coming."

"Doing this without asking for assistance from the government is a very high risk." the Dragonite said, "And we barely know anything about Kyurem's scion. The general public doesn't even know what a scion is, and it sounds like a fairy tale with how many pokemon believe Legendary pokemon ever existed."

"So why bother telling them anything?" the Meowstic asked, "Isn't this beyond the Association's fight? It's ours."

"You know we can't win it alone, Marcus." the Jirachi reasoned, "Unless you and three others have secretly awakened to your abilities."

"We can fight without them." the Meowstic sassed, "Pretty well, if I say so myself."

"This isn't a normal scion." the Jirachi argued, "This is as dangerous as it can get."

"Look, I don't I have enough time to be part of this conversation, as much as it needs to happen." the Dragonite sighed, "I'll keep it under for now, but we need a serious plan. Something to go off of."

"Sir?" the Shaymin called.

"Yes?" the Dragonite asked, "Come now, I've only got a minute."

"What if the answer is a lot closer than someone not related to us?" she asked, "I mean, it's just that you yourself were left with a lot of questions about how exactly those pokemon discovered Angelo."

"There was, but that alone doesn't mean much." the Dragonite replied.

"But sir, if a scion really was somehow a traitor and learned about Angelo, wouldn't it make the most sense for them to kidnap him?" Ariel suggested nervously, "I mean, if a scion dies then the Legendary pokemon would pick someone else, so the most logical thing would be trying to kidnap him. I know it's a little, uhm... Unlikely." Ariel's voice cracked, "But if no one but your families knew then there's a missing link between that information being up here and getting on the streets."

"You think it's possible that it was organized specifically?" the Dragonite asked earnestly.

"Well, yes..." the Shaymin squeaked, "I mean, storming the Nightlight Association even back then is awfully aggressive. So many details on how the enemy got information are missing, but it would make sense that Kyurem would know where Angelo is."

"It would make perfect sense." the Jirachi nodded, "Sir, I think we should look into this."

"I'll assign tasks for this once my meeting is over." the Dragonite nodded, "I can't help but agree it's a good use of time. Thank you, Ariel."

"Thank you, sir." the Shaymin murmured.

The Dragonite nodded one last time before he exited the room at a noticeably faster pace. The Victini closed the doors behind him before gently floating back next to the Jirachi and putting her head on his shoulder as they sat.

"Good catch, Airy." the Meowstic smiled, "It's hard to connect dots over years like that."

"That's the kind of thing that'll happen when someone quiet has a crush." the shiny Zorua snickered.

"You're just jealous she has a brain." the Cinccino folded her arms.

"Well, if I do have a brain, it doesn't recognize her." the shiny Zorua gestured.

"My name is Abigail." the Furret nodded lightly.

"Oh yeah, the founding weapon." the shiny Zorua smirked, "Got it before I could. Dang."

"Yes." Abigail replied politely, "Just happened..."

"Well, I didn't know what to imagine when I pictured a pokemon finally pulling the founding weapon," the shiny Zorua said, "But I sure didn't expect them to look like a goddess."

"Blue, don't creep her out." the Buizel said, "You could literally say anything else."

The Furret's eyes sparkled with her mouth hanging open slightly. The Buizel blinked and then sat back as the shiny Zorua gave a sly smirk.

"I'm getting some sleep." the Meowstic announced, "You guys should, uh... Ah, whatever. Just keep breathing is all."

"Alright, meeting adjourned." the Jirachi nodded smiling, "Abigail?"

"Wha?" the Furret blinked rapidly, "Oh, sorry. Yes?"

"Me and Anne will show you to the guest room." the Jirachi said.

"Thank you." the Furret nodded.

"Miss Ariel, are you alright there?" Kite asked.

"Yes." the Shaymin nodded, "Just thinking, sorry. Good night."

"Good night." the Jirachi said, "Just relax for now."

Although the Shaymin nodded, she kept the dissatisfied look on here face as the pokemon passed by her.

The Shaymin only started to move back to her room after all of the pokemon had gone before her. She stalked back to her room closing the door quietly leaving the room empty.


	58. Chapter 55

A knock sounded three times gently on a door. A pokemon shifted under sheets slightly before quietly pushing them off of himself and rubbing it's eyes. The shiny Zorua gave a grunt of effort pushing himself onto the floor on all fours before going to the door and opening it slowly so it wouldn't creak.

A Sky-Forme Shaymin stood in the dim lighting with a serious look on her face.

"Bruh." the Zorua shook his head.

"C'mon, let's go." the Shaymin ordered.

"Airy, relax. It-"

"You know that Mr. Acuity never looks under his own nose." Ariel whispered, "We have to go. Now."

"I'll get ready, don't worry. I'm good at this." the Zorua nodded, "When's Angelo getting back?"

"Around midnight." Ariel answered, "It just got dark out an hour and a half ago, so we pretty much have all night."

"I still plan on getting sleep," the Zorua huffed, "So let's do this. Come in."

The Shaymin stepped inside with the Zorua closing the door behind her on turning on the lights to be dim. Ariel sat down in the corner while the Zorua looked through his desk's drawers until he found the small metal object he was looking for.

"Oh, the hunch?" Blue asked, "I have my gadget ready."

"Look into Lancelot's relationships." Ariel said.

"The only thing I could think of to look into that would be mind reading him." Blue said, "Our social network is too new to get stuff from before Angelo was born, either. Nightlight agents that were around back then probably wouldn't have any idea."

"Ryan and Janice Evergreen, Angelo's grandparents. They're here." Ariel said.

"Lancelot wouldn't tell them things like older relationships that he had. At least, not a high chance of it." Blue sighed, "We need word of mouth on this. We could try his grandparents, but they are definitely sleeping."

"So our options are either waking up those poor old souls or bothering our boss about stuff he never talks about." Ariel said.

"Poor old souls?" Blue asked.

"Poor old souls." Ariel agreed, "They should be..."

The Shaymin's ears perked up and she backed away from the door awkwardly with a questioning look on her face. A piece of paper was slid under the doorway, and the shiny Zorua reacted quickly by opening the door.

Blue looked left and right and just gave a sigh after seeing nothing. After he closed the door, he picked up the paper ad turned it around.

"Says 'Roy Kurtis is the scion you're looking for. Confront him in the morning in the plaza outside of the building.'" Blue blinked, "Uhm, this isn't any handwriting I know, Airy. Was someone else in here?"

"Searching the name..." Ariel whispered back, "Alright. Platinum rank Nightlight agent. A Flygon slightly known for having gray on the usually red parts of his body. That definitely looks like a match..."

"I hate to wake up Kite, but whoever wrote this is in on a lot of information to say 'scion'." Blue said handing her the paper, "Let's go, quietly."

The shiny Zorua opened his door just enough for him and the Shaymin to walk through and then carefully stepped down the hallway. The Jirachi's door was already nearby, and the Zorua reached it with ease with the flying Shaymin just behind him.

The Zorua leaned his ear onto the door and didn't hear much movement. He knocked very lightly, and then pushed open the door and looked inside.

The Zorua felt a bit of a chill after he realized he walked in on the Jirachi clearly talking to the Victini romantically. The ribbons from the Jirachi's back surrounded the Victini as they continued to stare completely enamored with each other's eyes while holding hands straight on.

The shiny Zorua sighed guiltily before knocking on the door audibly for the pair to look up. A soft, silvery light surrounding the Jirachi disappeared as he retracted his hands to himself and quickly took on a shy look. The Victini put her hands on her shoulders with a frown on here face.

"Sorry, but we got a tip for the Fallen Kyurem's scion just now." Blue said, "It got slid under my door just now, no alarms for anything either."

"Someone else was in here?" the Jirachi questioned, "With no indication?"

"Yes." Blue nodded, "Let Kite read it, Airy."

The Shaymin quickly flew over and passed the Jirachi the paper. He read it instantly before looking up slightly more alerted.

"Did you research the pokemon?" Kite asked.

"Yeah, a Flygon with gray instead of red on him." Blue reported, "What do you think?"

"This could be a setup. Did the pokemon that slid this under your door just vanish?" Kite questioned.

"Yeah, it's like they weren't even there." Blue said, "What do we do?"

"I'll call Mr. Acuity and have him evacuate our royal guests to Valor's Castle. We'll need him to devise a plan." Kite said, "Wake everyone until Mr. Acuity comes. I'm going to do some quick research. Pass time in here until he comes back."

The pokemon blinked and just stared at each other before looking back at Kite's huffy expression.

"I meant out in the living room." the Jirachi shook his head.

"You two just hang out, I'll be back after I get everyone up." the Victini said, "Ok."

The shiny Zorua and Shaymin left the room and turned down the hallway.

"That was a little awkward." the Shaymin whispered.

"Ya don't have to say it out loud..." the shiny Zorua shivered, "Eugh..."

"Let's just hope Anne will forget this like that prank you did with the pie that other time." Ariel sighed.

"She probably will." Blue shrugged, "Especially with how busy she can keep, too."

The shiny Zorua sat down on the couch while the Shaymin flew around aimlessly looking at things until she settled on the opposite end of it with a huff.

"You good there, Airy?" Blue asked.

"I feel so sleepy. And stressed. And I can only be one or the other." she complained.

"Then sleep." Blue said.

"I caaaaan't." Ariel whined.

"Then just be stressed." Blue shrugged.

"I knew you'd say that..." Ariel sighed.

"Of course I would." Blue smiled, "You didn't say what you want me to do to help."

"I know, I just like whining." Ariel said.

"I know." Blue nodded slyly.

The shiny Zorua and Shaymin in Sky Forme both blinked alerting themselves when the Dragonite stormed through their front doors and entered the room. The rest of the Angel Branch quickly gathered together again shaking off sleep and almost surrounding the pair to talk.

"I don't know how it was slid under my door like that." Blue blurted out.

"Don't worry about that aspect. It's likely just a scion's ability and warning." the Dragonite answered, "We're looking at Roy Kurtis. His team is a platinum rank team, and they're leaving at dawn going northward to do service for villages close to Maroon up north."

"What do you say, Mr. Acuity?" the Jirachi asked.

"We confront him in the morning." the Dragonite nodded, "And we will aggressively stop him from moving as quickly as possible. Our warrant will be directly from the king himself."

"What's the plan for ambushing him?" Blue asked, "It'll be close to broad daylight. There'll be a decent amount of activity in the plaza if we do it there, even though there's a good amount of open space."

"We'll inform his team and simply swarm him with the N.A.'s finest, including ourselves. When Angelo comes back, he will be joining us only as backup power." Lancelot said. "It's risky to even have him near the field. Everyone prepare for battle. We're going over the hill in the morning."

"I'll rally the N.A.'s finest." the Jirachi volunteered, "Everyone do your best."

The pokemon around the shiny Zorua all nodded and quickly started to take to different directions. Most took off out of the headquarters after the Dragonite while the Jirachi and Victini went back to the rooms.

Blue followed the Jirachi and Victini down the hall and turned back into his own room. The shiny Zorua carefully watched them close the door behind them before closing his and letting out a sigh.

" _They don't even know my handwriting, even if I did change it some. They really trust me..._ "

The shiny Zorua went back to the small desk on the side of his room. He looked at a photo with bleak eyes of himself and a large Zoroark.

" _My dad must've really let you down, mom. And Angelo's mom, I wonder if she'd think the same. Lancelot and my dad let everyone down._ "

The shiny Zorua reached under his desk and picked up a round, black stone from and held it in both of his arms.

"And you're sure Kyurem's fine? I'll be alright, yah?"


	59. Frostbite

A gray and white Flareon sat against a wooden wall bouncing up and down from the carriage moving over ground quickly. Although things lined the walls, the only other pokemon inside was the Diancie staring at him questioningly.

"You seem to know a lot more about what's happening than I do. Is it secret N.A. business?" the Diancie asked.

"Yah..." Angelo sighed, "I... Would rather not involve you. It looks like I have to do something in the morning, so there won't be enough time for you to make me anything."

"It's alright, I won't get in the way." Jasmine said, "Whatever it is, just stay safe. For me."

"Yah, of course..." Angelo nodded, "We're arresting someone we've been looking for in the plaza. You should be fine in the tower, and I'm just backup."

"Good." Jasmine affirmed, "I'd hate to see you do anything more dangerous than all the other things I've heard that you've done."

"I haven't really gone that overboard with anything..." Angelo said, "I haven't really done much differently."

"Noooo, it looks pretty insane." Jasmine chuckled, "Well, in any case, I hope backup isn't needed."

"It's usually bad if it is." Angelo nodded, "I'll be ready."

The electric carriage eventually reached a smooth ride over the roads back into the city. Although the carriage was only a block away from the Nightlight's tower, the carriage had parked on the side of the sleepy but active road.

The gray and white Flareon simply sat there with the Diancie after receiving the message to wait outside of the area. After just a slight wait, he got a long message from Lancelot.

" _We found the identity of the scion we're looking for, and he's leaving the tower in the morning. Be on standby nearby as backup until you receive a signal to join the mission or that it's over. You can have your friend come inside and go to Charlotte while she waits._ "

The gray and white Flareon looked up to see the Diancie had been looking at him with a concerned face.

"My dad said you can go inside. I'm staying out and finding a place to stakeout." Angelo said, "Our mission is in the early morning."

"I could go inside and have you a good weapon ready a little after that in the morning, just in case anything goes wrong." Jasmine offered, "I mean, having you on an ambush seems so... Serious."

"You don't have to, you know." Angelo said, "Besides, what kind of thing did you have in mind?"

"I would have time to make anything elaborate, but I could make you a shield. A special one." Jasmine said, "Something only a pokemon like you could handle."

"Uhm, how?" Angelo asked quietly.

"It's a layered shield of my best material combined with super-powered bio-energy. The center is a special core of something like a fire of bio-energy surrounded by the material, which then has bio-energy on top of that continuing to make the shield." Jasmine explained, "It will be about the size of both your arms and weigh about seventy pounds, so it's very heavy. And because of the bio-energy which helps make it nearly invincible, its resting temperature is two-hundred fifty degrees Fahrenheit, so it'd burn off the limbs of most pokemon with its sheer energy if they kept contact with it for longer than fifteen seconds."

"That sounds pretty violent for a shield..." Angelo said wide-eyed.

"Well, I tested you already and your body can handle touching it indefinitely. I can also make multiple ones in the future because it has a secondary use. You should be able to feel the core since it's bio-energy and light it so that it breaks the innermost core." Jasmine continued, "It continues to break layers on the inside until it completely implodes causing an explosion so your body can interact with it and throw it to make a huge explosion if you need one. After you break the innermost core, it's roughly five seconds of the glow intensifying till it explodes."

"I'm not sure I'd have much use for making explosions in a crowded place, but it does sound like a good way for escaping something." Angelo nodded awkwardly.

"There are plenty of uses for it I'm sure, and it'd be really difficult to make go off without your focus." Jasmine said, "You have to feel the core of the bio-energy and stoke it to pop the innermost core. You'll know it when you feel the shield for the first time."

"Well, it sounds like a pretty strong weapon..." Angelo said, "I hope I can live up to your craft."

"You already have." Jasmine smiled lightly, "I'd best get to work soon, so I'll see you after."

"Thanks, see you." Angelo smiled.

The Diancie approached the back of the carriage and opened the door gently to let herself out. As she turned back around, the gray and white Flareon had already swung himself on top of the carriage and had leaped onto the wall of a building to start scaling quickly with ease. He was already out of sight on the rooftop before the Diancie had the chance to look around.

Angelo continued over rooftops at a casual walking pace until he reached a rooftop just before the buildings disappeared at the plaza. He lied his front side over a neon letter on a building looking downwards with his arms hanging off.

" _Looks so pretty I'd even want to just go down there and talk to people. Central Valor at night really is something else..._ " Angelo thought, " _Best stay awake._ "

Angelo continued to watch activities happening below him. He felt so tired he thought he'd fail, but after an hour and a half he felt like he was still in the middle of the daytime.

After keeping track, Angelo was able to recognize a few pokemon going in and out of the building. At one point, he even saw the noisy Politoed and a Luxray enter the building. He struggled with their names for a few minutes before giving up, but did remember Team Dragma.

The darkness of the sky eventually started to get lighter, and Angelo's ears unconsciously perked up seeing a streak of orange on the side of his vision.

Angelo took a few minutes to do stretches before hiding behind the sign much more attentively. The pace of pokemon coming in and out of the building slowed down to a crawl as the orange was spreading through the sky.

As orange was beginning to fade into light blue, Angelo saw a small group of pokemon exit the building that immediately caught his attention. A Prinplup, Flygon, and Gourgeist were all walking out of the building side by side.

Angelo eyed the Flygon when he saw the usual red parts of his body were a gray color. The gray and white Flareon curled his large, fluffy tail in front of his eyes and compared his gray with the Flygon's to find them roughly the same.

His nerves started to start when pokemon from different places quickly circled the trio. Angelo recognized the members of the Angels among them, but the majority were seemingly high ranked pokemon.

Angelo was just barely too far to hear most of the conversation, but the Prinplup and Gourgeist seemed to be ordered away from the Flygon putting him in the center. Up above, flying pokemon gathered to create a globe around him.

From how no pokemon were changing their positions, Angelo could tell the Flygon wasn't about to be arrested simply.

After a short standoff, some of the Nightlight agents began to attack mercilessly. The Flygon's wings gained a grayish aura as he shot up at alarming speeds darting so fast Angelo's eyes had to dart to keep up with him.

Just before the Flygon was going to rush the flying pokemon to break through to the sky, a golden line snagged the Flygon's chest and pulled him down to the floor easily. A Furret held the other end of the rope sternly while other pokemon started to use their own strategies to stop him from moving.

Angelo couldn't keep track of all the different attacks and instead focused on listening to what was going on in case they called him. To his relief, the Flygon appeared to be moving less and less rapidly with the golden wire still tied around his chest. The gray light he emitted was quickly fading away with his body becoming more visible as the attacks like stun spore and sleep powder continued.

Even ually, the Flygon stopped moving. The pokemon around paused for a long, tense moment. The Flareon continued to watch from just behind the sign wondering what they were going to do.

" _He went down... Easier than I thought. Great._ " Angelo smiled, " _They really were ready._ "

The Furret with golden stripes who held the wire began to walk closer to the Flygon, now restrained by vines and different moves like whirlwind from multiple directions to keep him in place. At her side, she held a purple weapon intently.

Although Angelo recognized the Founding weapon, he didn't realize what the Furret would do until she touched it to the Flygon's chest. Violent light erupted and dispersed into snowflakes.

Angelo looked on in silent bewilderment as the Flygon's color changed to its original red. A small, shining object fell away off to the Flygon's side as he opened his eyes in some sort of surprise.

"Ah! Aagh! Get it away! Get that thing away from me!" the Flygon screamed.

Angelo felt his stomach drop as the Nightlight agents cleared away from the shining object the dropped to the ground. Although the Flygon was released because of the panic, he only scrambled away along with the other pokemon with a horrified look on his face.

" _What is that thing!? Reshiram, what is it?_ " Angelo asked.

" _Don't get near that._ "

Angelo started to call his dad with his Nightlight gadget around his neck.

"Angelo? Are you alright up there?" the Dragonite's voice answered.

"I'm fine, but I don't like that shiny thing down there." Angelo murmured, "Keep it away. It feels wrong."

Angelo heard the Dragonite shout something that made all of the Nightlights back away from the object of interest on the ground even further.

"Get down closer here, but not too close. We're going to have the Flygon talk." the Dragonite's voice said.

Angelo reacted quickly by jumping down from the shorter building and around the circle of Nightlights. The Flygon was completely surrounded by pokemon on all sides, but Angelo could still hear his fast breathing from the complete silence around him.

The Flareon's father, the small Dragonite, got overshadowed by some pokemon in the crowd, but was the closest to the Flygon and the one urging him to calm down.

"Tell me exactly what happened and what it is." the Dragonite said, "Alright?"

"It takes advantage of you!" the Flygon said, "Of violence! It takes advantage of someone's violence and tears them apart. Just..." the Flygon panted, "Get me away from it. Please. It makes you feel things that are fake and do things that are very real..."

"Fake, real. Who can tell the difference anymore?"

Angelo blinked and stalked to the side when he heard the voice coming from past the crowd.

"But as for real trust, you have way too much of that stuff. I know I used to." a shiny Zorua spoke.

"Blue, get away from that." Lancelot ordered coldly.

On reaction, the gray and white Flareon found and opening through the small crowd and sprinted forward towards the Zorua.

He jumped towards the Zorua to tackle him to the ground, but the Zorua seemed to vanish into thin air just before he jumped. He slowed himself to a stop suddenly and looked around him panicked. Unsure where to look after covering all directions, he looked up and was thrown off by a black streak before feeling his head and the rest of his body crash into the ground.

He was picked up by the fur on his head by a set of claws and was turned around to see a Zoroark's face. His ears were ringing and his he felt dizzy from the blow, but he could feel electricity curling around his head dangerously.

"Thief." the Zoroark murmured.


	60. Black Hole

Lightning and thunder erupted at the same time with ferocity to scar the ground and make glass shatter. The ground of the plaza was immediately scorched with black streaks and falling ashes to make a nightmarish landscape in an instant.

In the aftermath, a Dragonite and other pokemon struggled to their feet looking on where the lightning had come from. The sunrise had just begun to illuminate the shiny Zoroark standing in the center of chaos and his hungry looking straight back.

Buildings that seemed decently far off had newly made scars from the blast and pokemon reacting in different ways inside and out.

A Buneary in particular darted forward to the scene from off of its sides rushing towards the group of pokemon with varying injuries with a Pikachu at his side. Although other pokemon had seen what had happened, no one else dared to get closer.

The Pikachu took the lead low to the ground waving the Buneary to sneak behind a large piece of rubble from the destroyed ground. They both crouched behind the piece with the Pikachu barely peering his head out to look at the scene.

"Uxie!? Where is he!?" the Buneary asked nervously, "The white star?"

"Unsure. Be careful of that Zoroark's sight." the Pikachu whispered, "Stay with me."

The Buneary crawled to peer by the same corner as the Pikachu. A Dragonite was notably standing up with red burn marks all over his body with one of his eyes closed.

The Dragonite stood panting for his breath before taking a deep one to speak.

"Aaron! What are you doing?" the Dragonite roared.

"Taking charge, sir." a voice answered.

Strange chains stretched from the ground and snagged around the Dragonite's arms to bring him down to his knees.

Although Luke recognized the species of the pokemon, he didn't know the pokemon the had surrounded the Zoroark supportively.

"Just as I promised I would." a Jirachi spoke up.

The Pikachu pushed the Buneary back and went back behind the rubble with him facing the Buneary head on.

"It wasn't just Kyurem. We have a problem." the Pikachu said, "We need a new approach."

The Buneary's eyes lit up hearing a large noise coming from the other side, but the Pikachu put his hands on the Buneary's shoulders holding him in place.

"Ideas? Any?" the Pikachu asked desperately.

"Uhm, we need scions that are allies with us, or some way to fight back?" Luke replied, "Uxie? What's going on?"

"Those scions out there are aggressive. I don't know what to do, there's so many of them." the Pikachu sighed, "Something's not right, and we need a solution quickly."

An enormous cry went out over the plaza area. The Buneary and Pikachu both peered from their position. A gray and white Flareon with blacks marks all over his fur was staring at the group with a shocked look on his face. He stood wobbly looking at the Dragonite after their attack.

"Let's grab the white star and Lancelot and run." the Buneary said assuredly.

"Understood." the Pikachu nodded.

The Buneary zipped forward with his fur shining a gentle gold as he moved. The Pikachu continued to keep low to the ground and stalked towards the Dragonite while the Buneary attracted attention as he quickly moved to the Flareon's side.

"Kid, get outta here." the Zoroark yelled.

The Flareon looked between the Buneary and the group with shivering eyes as his reaction. Even as the Buneary turned towards the group, they all seemed to keep their eyes on the Flareon. The sunrise started to create light bright enough to cast long shadows over the ground around them.

"Stay with me." the Buneary said, "Ok?"

The Buneary had just started to get the group's serious attention before his arms gave off an intense golden light and he clapped them together. The shock wave sent ripples through the ground and light cascading everywhere. The Buneary grabbed the Flareon's arm and led him into running away before the effects were even visible through all of the lights bouncing randomly around causing mysterious damage to buildings.

"Just run right now!" the Buneary said.

Although he was panicked, the Flareon nodded understandingly and kept to the Buneary's side.

The streets of Valor weren't busy enough to draw large amounts of attention to the pair of running pokemon as they continued to flee through the sunrise. The Buneary eventually found a well hidden place under a smaller bridge over a river with a grassy hill. The adrenaline still going through him made him feel like he was still running.

After the pair had finally stopped, a Uxie appeared from the other side lowering down the Dragonite carefully onto the hill. The Flareon's attention was immediately taken by the burn marks all over him.

"Just wounds, Angelo." the Dragonite waved his arm, "I'm alright."

"What did they do!?" Angelo demanded, "And who are you two!?"

"I am an overseer to scions and their balance in the world." the Uxie replied, "And this is Luke Paula, a young scion. Calm down. I know your father."

The Flareon looked at the Dragonite immediately to see his nod of approval.

"Why did Kite and Marciel just attack you like that?" Angelo asked, "And what did Blue just do?"

"I think they all are just like Kyurem and have become aggressors." Uxie input, "Legendary pokemon in their right senses wouldn't choose pokemon that would do this. And it must have happened relatively recently."

"We need to figure out what's wrong and how to fix it, but we don't even really know what they're doing." Luke said.

"We need to make time to figure out what happened." the Dragonite spoke up, "There isn't much hope left for this situation at this point. We need to take advantage of the opportunity we have because of you, Angelo. And you, Luke."

""If I can help stop things from getting worse, of course I will." the Buneary nodded in response.

"What opportunity?" Angelo questioned, "And I still don't understand what's wrong with them."

"Legendary pokemon can influence their scions, so if something is wrong with them it could very well be for that reason." the Dragonite said, "Given that they're currently in a group like this. But I think I have an option to trace back whatever could have happened."

The pokemon glanced at each other with slight confusion in their eyes while they gathered closer around the Dragonite. The Dragonite used his arms to sit himself up and face the group on the same level.

"Do you all know the old story called The Explorers of Time?" the Dragonite asked.

"Well, ah..." the Buneary rubbed the back of his head, "Funny story, I ah-"

"It was an old odyssey story where a pokemon called Dialga went insane after being tampered with from another pokemon." the Dragonite said, "And after the chaos, the power of time travel was removed in the whole world in every form with Dialga's scion only having the powers of close foresight and gaining power from time's flow. But there was one form of time travel that hadn't been thought of or removed because it's a force that impacts time even though it's unrelated."

"Gravity?" Uxie questioned, "You want to use Palkia's power to manipulate space and gravity as a way of time travel, but I doubt Arceus would fail to notice and stop this even if we could force the scion's hand."

"We can have Arceus's scion in training to ask permission of sorts." the Dragonite said, "He can also force the scion's hand simply by touching him and ask permission by simply touching Palkia's scion."

"I'm not sure I know how to do that." the Buneary whispered, "And who's Palkia's scion?"

"It will be like an instinct." the Dragonite assured, "His scion is named Kite, a Jirachi. I had just barely managed to notice aspects that gave it away. Angelo with have to deal with most of this, though."

"Dad, you know I can't deal with all of them. Why are you even suggesting it?" Angelo asked impatiently.

"You have a special pokemon ability that should be just enough." the Dragonite nodded firmly, "It was what your mother worked to create."

"To create?" Uxie questioned, "What?"

"It was the work of your mother, but we don't have time." the Dragonite shook his head, "But rest assured you can do this."

"If you're sure we have to fight and somewhat win, then I'll trust you." Uxie nodded.

"It's the only way to stop all of this." the Dragonite nodded, "We can't afford to lose so many scions to something we don't know about, or the amount of casualties we just took..."

"I have to agree." Uxie nodded solemnly, "They're all still children. They'll only get stronger, and we have no idea what they're doing other than just betrayal."

"Well, I sure feel that I don't know what's going on, but going for time travel can only be so bad of an idea with what I saw going on..." the Buneary said.

"All I saw was pokemon I knew by name attacking my dad." Angelo said, "I'm not sure what the whole plan is with all of this if it works, but I'm going to tear straight through them for that."

"Don't be too headlong with all of the... Tearing." Uxie winced, "There's no guarantee on whether each one of them is aggressive or not. But we do have to do this quickly and aggressively. Let's settle what exactly we need Luke to do, because he'll be alone after time travel."

"There are places around the world he needs to investigate." the Dragonite said, "They're common knowledge as wonders of the world and are havens for the spirits of the Legendary pokemon. As Arceus' scion, you would be able to interact with them in their different sorts of... 'Dimensions'. You would be able to see, speak with, and listen to the Legendary pokemon in the physical forms they once owned."

"And how far back should I ask to go?" Luke asked, "Is there any way to really know?"

"Kyurem began to act strangely and aggressively a couple of months before Angelo was found." Uxie said, "So you need to work hard to awaken the Arc blessing and go to these places. If you breathe deeply and focus, you can always feel where they are because you're attached to them."

"This is a lot for me to do just by... Instinct." Luke sighed.

"Well, yes." the Uxie said. He floated slowly towards the Buneary and gently touched his forehead with his hand emitting a slight glow for a short moment before it faded.

"I'll be able to see our times together so I can have these memories." Uxie explained, "I'm impossible to find, but I'll likely find you instead. I'd sense a new active scion."

"Hold on, I need to think..." Angelo said, "There has to have been an event a few months before where you could find me easily."

"I'm surprised either of you are believing me about time travel." the Dragonite said, "This isn't sane government official talk."

"I don't believe you." the Flareon sighed, "Time travel? Guys?"

The Uxie shrugged slowly.

"With all due respect, you-"

The Flareon hushed and quieted the group suddenly.

He stalked down on the ground and worked his way forward from under the bridge looking up. He jumped back as a Buizel tried to land on top of him but met the ground instead.

"Hi, Angelo." the Buizel greeted bringing himself off his knees.

The Flareon put one arm behind his back and pointed upwards.

"I can see that." the Buizel said nonchalantly, "The water of your body gives it away."

The Buneary behind the Flareon jumped a bit off the ground and gained a disgusted face.

"Well that's creepy..." the Buneary voiced.

"Pokemon connect with each other in different ways." the Buizel responded, "Not that you'd really understand even one of them. Verity has always had our focus on making our emotions work for us."

The Buizel was about to continue speaking when the Flareon sent a puff of fire in his direction. Water from the river surrounded him in his defense causing a small puff of steam to rise from his body.

The Dragonite stood up quickly and fired a thunderbolt attack from his antennas that evoked a cry of pain from the Buizel. The water dropped to the ground as the Buizel caught himself with one arm to keep from falling all the way to the ground.

The Flareon rushed forward and shoulder bashed the Buizel to going flying and land on his back in a tumble. The Buizel used his arms to stop himself before tumbling down into the river and pushed himself up quickly to his feet in a fighting position.

"Focus!" Let's go!" Lancelot yelled.

Angelo used a smokescreen attack to covering up the running group from the Buizel's line of sight.

"I called for support when we were escaping, try to last!" the Dragonite yelled, "Stay sharp!"

As the Buneary continued to run, he heard the noise of water impacting the ground sound from behind them.

"Keep going!" Uxie's voice called.

The morning chill went past he Buneary's alert ears and eyes as the the group ran, but they slowly started to lose their pace as they continued down only side streets and alleyways.

Just when they had cut through a large main street to continue, the Dragonite stopped and gained the attention of the Buneary and gray and white Flareon instantly.

"You two keep going to the mall and try to hide, I need to find a way to call for help." the Dragonite said, "Stay together."

The Buneary's ears twitched making him look up and see a Victini floating in the air with her arms crossed and a bored frown on her face. Before he could react, the gray and white Flareon had already thrown a trump card attack making her dip her shoulder to the side to avoid it.

"My love took over the emergency control over the tower following our little mishap, not that there's an emergency or anything." the Victini shrugged.

The group divided their attention once they heard a noise from either side of the alley. A shiny Zoroark walked forward with slow confidence and his arms dangling at his sides intimidating the Dragonite into backing away.

"I am responding to some shady activity in a back alley, though." the shiny Zoroark said.

A Meowstic on the other side nodded his head affirmatively.

"Yeah, I'll back ya up." the Meowstic replied.

The Zoroark's arm suddenly began to crackle with lightning and he began to make a punching motion with his right arm.

Unsure what to do, Luke prepared to jump out of the way of whatever attack he prepared. When the Zoroark's arm reared as far back as it was going to go, a glowing, gold wire roped his arm and suddenly dragged him back out of sight.

The Buneary immediately took advantage and took a high jump towards the Victini with an uppercut that connected with her chin. After he jumped, the gray and white Flareon began an oppressive flamethrower in the Meowstic's direction while walking forward to force him out of the thin street.

The Buneary landed with a hard impact that sent him onto his arms and feet for a moment before he got back up. He saw the Victini composing herself in the air and flying towards where the Zoroark had been pulled to.

The gray and white Flareon stopped his flamethrower and turned around to the group hurriedly.

"Dad, take Marcus! You, with me!" Angelo quickly pointed to the Buneary.

The Buneary waited until the Flareon passed him to follow back out to the main road.

Luke noticed the street had started to become busy, but the crowd was staying away from a Furret with golden streaks of fur jabbing at the shiny Zoroark precisely.

The Zoroark's swings were dodged from the Furret's expert swivels on her feet while she continued to run him down just punches.

The Furret ducked under a wide swing from the off balance Zoroark and landed a strong punch using the whole force of her body in his chest.

Although the Zoroark was thrown back, he stayed on his feet using the claws from his left arm to keep himself from flying back any further and stay balanced. He ripped it from the ground angrily kicking up brown dust and stared back at the Furret.

Pokemon on either side stuck close to the walls of the building despite all the empty space on the street. They took to lampposts and planted trees to try and watch while keeping away.

A Victini gently floated down to the Zoroark's side with her arms holding her chin and angry eyes looking up past them.

The Buneary and gray and white Flareon both joined the Furret's side confidently.

"I don't really question lots of things, but..." the Furret implied.

"Something's wrong with more Legendary pokemon and it's affecting them." Angelo replied, "We don't know what they're trying to do, and we need to find Kite."

From her back and held by a small wire around her, the Furret pulled a purple, ragged sword from off her back and pointed it out towards the group. The gesture prompted pokemon hidden in the crowd and trees to aggressively surround the group it was pointed at withdifferent attacks ready for each of them.

More pokemon appeared on rooftops looking ready to jump down or fire more attacks, and the shadows of flying pokemon made it seem like a tree's shadow had sprouted from nowhere.

"Hannah and Marciel were hurt in the explosion, but they'll be fine and are responsive." the Furret reported to the Flareon, "But they'll be alright. Kite is likely still high in the tower, and will have company in minutes."

The Zoroark straightened out his back and cracked it with a sigh.

"Oh, all's well and ends well." the Zoroark taunts, "But if that were really how it is, you wouldn't have such a last-ditch plan."

A Jirachi seemed to almost phase into existence sitting on the shiny Zoroark's shoulder alarming the pokemon surrounding them. Some even dropped their readied moves for a split second out of surprise before refocusing.

"I have such a low level of concern about that, I'm still here." the Jirachi proclaimed, "Someone slow would have to touch me, after all."

The Buneary's attention was taken when he saw a Dragonite limping out of the alleyway they were stopped at. He sat down against the brick wall of a building looking out of breath.

A blue light burst down the ground at blinding speeds from overhead cutting through the flying pokemon surrounding the group. The impact the light had with the ground sent cracks through it as the light faded.

The light faded from around a Meowstic as he put his hands behind his back with a dignified smile.

"Aaron." the Jirachi directed, "It's time."

As soon as the Jirachi spoke, a single thunderbolt struck the Zoroark's shoulder making him cry out in a small surprised pain. The Jirachi barely jumped off of his shoulder in time and twirled around unbalanced in the air for a second before staying still above them.

A Zeraora skidded down a shot distance making himself visible from the trees leaving deep marks from his claws.

"No." the Zeraora sighed.

The Zoroark got back up from his one knee he had on the ground still holding his steaming shoulder.

"Really think you can outdo me like that?" the Zoroark asked.

The Zeraora uncontrollably smirked for a second before returning his neutral face.

"Why are you guys acting like this!?" Angelo yelled, "You're not making any sense! Why would you just attack us out of nowhere like that?"

"Taking it so personally..." the Zoroark sighed, "It's between us and the Association, not you."

"You tried to hurt my family." Angelo hissed.

"Your dad has monopolized crime for years." Aaron said, "They hold back information to make sure the country feels the need to keep the current tax system going. They're literally just making a spectacle out of you. there are pokemon that have disappeared for years, and they've known where they are."

"And your idea to fix things is just this!? Being more destructive than the thugs that kept me captured ever were? Where on earth did you go deserve having all that nerve?" Angelo asked sarcastically, "Down the the market where you realized what not being rich looks like?"

"You're insulting his background?" the Jirachi asked as he returned to the Zoroark's shoulder, "Odd choice for you."

"Shuddup, bottom dweller." Angelo groaned, "Your gang of edgy brats is carrying you harder than my dad ever did."

The Buneary looked towards the gray and white Flareon and had his eyes light up in quick realization.

" _It's on purpose."_ Luke realized, _"I need to find a chance._ "

The Jirachi's eyes glazed over and his smug demeanor changed into a malevolent frown.

"Kill him." the Jirachi ordered plainly.

"He's bossing you too, Marcus." Angelo said, "Get over here. Don't wanna disappoint your new dad, too."

Windows suddenly shattered along with cracks forming in the concrete under the group. The Meowstic's eyes glowed an intense blue accompanying a horrible growl coming from him.

The Furret glanced towards Angelo with her lips pressed together before looking back and wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead. She made a small single, and the Nightlight agents that were surrounding them backed away to different overarching positions giving the street more room. The pokemon in the trees jumped onto rooftops while pokemon on the ground backed against and slightly into buildings.

From overhead a Buizel, Sky-Forme Shaymin, and Butterfree fell the ground from over the rooftops adding to the side of the group.

"My my, Marcus, what's gotten into you?" the Butterfree questioned.

"We're going to shut him up, Marciel." the Meowstic replied, "For good."

"What a misguided youth." the Butterfree commented, "Perhaps he only requires teaching. Let's calm down."

"The N.A. has to go." the Shaymin resolved, "Valor does, too. It's all too far gone. Don't blame us cause your father's just sad."

The gray and white Flareon looked over towards the Shaymin and scanned her moving his head up and down visibly.

"I'm sorry, maybe I'd take you seriously if I could remember, but..." Angelo said, "Who even are you?"

"Is this the plan..." the Furret whispered her question in the gray and white Flareon's ear.

"No chivalry at all!" the Butterfree exclaimed, "Just like-"

"Chivalry doesn't make you more than the ugly little thing that you are." Angelo said, "And it certainly won't attract Anne since she's into Kite doing baby role play all the time."

"You're such a..." the Buizel muttered, "Just shut up, we're trying to do the world a favor!"

"With emotional expressions like that, no wonder not even no name knows who you are." Angelo's head gestured to the Shaymin.

The Buneary dove out of the way to the side of the street when the Victini and Buizel both suddenly rushed towards the gray and white Flareon.

The Furret rushed forward and met the Buizel's aqua jet attack with a wound back punch that sent water and specks of gold light flying out in front of her. The Buizel was sent flying back rolling away while the Furret only skidded back on her feet from the impact.

The gray and white Flareon had grabbed the Victini by her ears and slammed her body into the ground harshly. When he looked up, the Butterfree was soaring down towards him with a strange green lance in hand.

"Don't be poor strategists!" the Jirachi called out, "All together!"

"Same!" the Furret shouted in panic.

" _Stuff's about to blow up, isn't it..._ " Luke shivered.

The Buneary's eyes fluttered around taking in as much information as he could, but speed that Angelo was tackled at by the Zoroark and the Furret having to dive out of the way of attacks were enough to confuse him by themselves.

The Buneary backed away and kept track of what was closest to him and covered himself from a tackle with his arm. He stumbled back against the wall of a building and moved his body against the wall to the right to avoid a huge rock the was stabbed into the wall.

The Buneary looked up at the enemy and saw a Quilava with his arm outstretched after throwing the lance-like rock straight at him.

Just before the Quilava moved again, he was yanked away by a golden lasso that had been tossed over his head. The Buneary sighed in relief but couldn't get another breath before he had to push himself off the wall when hexagonal, green scales had encased the wall trying to stick him to it.

A Butterfree flew and landed hard on the ground in front of the Buneary and jabbed at him with a lance made of the same scales. After dodging to swings, the Buneary realized he was approaching the wall again and stood his ground by blocking a swing with his forearm charged with golden energy.

The Buneary was barely able to keep up with the speed of the swings and jabs and was stumbling back against the wall when a stray explosion caused both pokemon to go flying through the thin concrete wall.

The Buneary shook the dust off of himself and took in his surroundings as quickly as he could. The Butterfree was bringing himself to his feet quickly making the Buneary back up and shiver.

"It's not your fault, but it does have to go this way." the Butterfree said.

As soon as the Butterfree took a step towards the Buneary, the wood ceiling gave in and collapsed on him along with a large piece of wood that had pieces of his scatter just barely not hitting the Buneary's toes. He immediately scampered past the rubble and out of the smaller building outside.

Luke was completely bewildered by the lack of noise. When he finally heard something loud, it was from a tall building that looked at least twenty stories in the distance. He couldn't make out their body shapes, but he could see red and blue lights scaling the side of the building with relatively enormous speed.

The Buneary's ears twitched and he turned around from one of his senses going off. The Butterfree was gone with clear signs of flying out of the rubble, but a Riolu had seemed to take his place and was staring at him standing with both of his arms behind his back.

"Pretty impressive, I agree." the Riolu sighed, "But not as impressive as it could be."

"Who aaaagh." Luke's voice trailed, "Forget it."

The Buneary dashed forward and took a small jab at the Riolu. The Riolu didn't move until the last moment when he whipped at his left arm and made a movement too fast for the Buneary to understand.

In the aftermath of the snapping noise, the Buneary was sent flying back so hard the win whistled loudly in his ears. He tensed his bod with gold energy to alleviate the blow, but still could feel the sting all over his body from when he hit the wall and fell back to the ground on his arms.

"There are better ways to get to know someone, you know." the Riolu implied, "Ask me something that isn't who I am."

"Ok..." Luke groaned, "Where were you born and who are your parents?"

"Ok." the Riolu nodded, "Never knew my parents, only my master. Now for casual conversation."

The Riolu extended it's arm holding surprisingly large items in either hand. The Buneary didn't recognize the yellow item in his right hand and then turned his attention to the left. The Buneary saw the wing of a Butterfree and looked at it questioningly until his blood ran cold and he gained a violent shiver.

"Which makes a better fan? A Dragonite's wing or a Butterfree's?" the Riolu asked.

Luke's fight or flight instincts immediately switched places as roughly as possible. He glanced in all directions, including above and below himself, but didn't see a sneaky way to escape. With how fast the Riolu moved earlier, he was sure running wouldn't work for very long even if he used the help of the Arc blessing.

"Neither." Luke answered shakily, "Why did you take those?"

"Well, I have to kill all of the scions, and leaving these on the ground just seemed weird..." the Riolu sighed, "You know, they're all pretty weak as they are now. Bringing out more power and abilities isn't in the training at all, it's in the heart. The same goes for you."

The Riolu looked at the objects in both of his hands and shrugged before dropping them on the ground and holding his arms behind his back again.

"The reason you're weak is just because you're young, you don't understand the complexity of all this yet. You're all...Dizzy, and confused." the Riolu explained, "But most of them have weaknesses that are holding them back. Take Marciel for example."

The Buneary's eyes continued to shiver looking back at the Riolu's stable ones.

"Too lofty and high strung. Zygarde is all about peace and harmony, not white knighting everyone including yourself." the Riolu explained, "He was high-strung because he lost someone he loved and thinks about it in a way that won't let himself mourn the right way. I could go on for the others, but I think you noticed I'm using their weaknesses pretty well for my side of things."

"You did something to them?" Luke asked quietly.

"You'd be surprised how little." the Riolue shrugged, "Do you..." the Riolu voice trailed off, "Something's close."

The Buneary's ears had twitched at the same time as the Riolu made the comment. Different specks of red were fast approaching from the air.

While the Riolu turned towards them, the Buneary felt a soft arm grab him and lifted him flying into the air. He suppressed his scream realizing the potential help as gravity brought them back down to a hard landing on the roof of he building he had slammed into.

The arm kept carrying him over streets with strong leaps until it finally stopped on a rooftop high enough for Luke to see two blocks away in any direction.

The arm set the Buneary down on his feet slowly. He was so close to the pokemon that he could only see a pair of blue and white eyes.

"Angelo!" Luke exclaimed, "That pokemon down there wa... Wha."

The Buneary backed away from the pokemon getting a better view of the white pokemon in front of him. He blinked a couple of times still confused from the rush of adrenaline.

Luke studied the pokemon's shape for a moment to see that it was an Espeon. An Espeon with white fur and blue and white eyes.

"Nah, sorry kid." the Espeon spoke, "Good guess, though. Y'know, this whole family resemblance thing is just happenstance."

The Buneary blinked with his eyes as wide as they could go.

"My name's Rosemary Evergreen." the Espeon smiled, "Good to meetcha for a second, but we gotta get you to Kite, yeah?"

The Buneary nodded stiffly.

"Kay." the Espeon nodded in return, "You see the lil' skyscraper off in the distance? The ones with all the windows surrounded by smaller buildings."

The Espeon pointed out a building that the Buneary had to squint to finally see. It stood out among nearby buildings, but not the general landscape of the city.

"Angelo and Abigail are bein a tag team in that building, and Kite's in there." Rosemary said, "We have to form a lil' team of own to handle all that pressure and get you close enough to that Jirachi to touch em. You need to do this perfectly. Unless you go forward with time travel, it'll be over."

"Why?" Luke asked, "The scions don't even seem too crazy, just angry."

"Trust me, they'll get there in no time." Rosemary sighed, "And we've already lost too much, but we shouldn't think about any o' that right now. Are you ready?"

"What about the Riolu down there!?" Luke questioned.

The Espeon turned and smacked the Buneary in the face lightly with her tail. The Buneary blinked rapidly and rubbed his face.

"Sometimes you need to focus on one thing because it's too important." the Espeon said.

"Uhm..." Luke said, "Is that a reason for, ah."

The Espeon turned around with a clear and impatient look.

"No time for twenty questions there, kid." Rosemary said, "Are you ready? I know you're strong, so I'm not carrying you this time around. The only thing you run from directly is that Riolu, got it?"

"Ok." the Buneary nodded, "I understand."

"Good." the Espeon nodded, "Let's get it done."

Although the lead-up the the jump looked natural, Luke quickly had to have his arm over his eyes to see the Espeon as a just a shining white comet. Even moving through the air she left a trail of smoky red embers that look intimidating. If Luke hadn't seen the Espeon before, his first guess would that it was a meteor.

" _That's a different Legendary pokemon._ " Luke noted, " _And she's way stronger than anyone yet. She must know pretty dangerous stuff. Better listen._ "

The Buneary brought his attention back to the direction of the building and ignited the Arc blessing and took a deep breath. With the direction being straight-on, he took a running leap off the building.


	61. The Shooting Star

Glass and tables were left shattered around the gray and white Flareon and Furret with golden stripes standing back to back. They were breathing in tandem and circling slowly to make sure they had eyes all around them.

"Only Nightlights to keep up were from Team Dragma, and they're struggling hard." the Furret said, "Scions are something else. Why'd you taunt them like that?"

"We need the pressure to be on us." the Flareon whispered, "If that Buneary touches Kite, we win."

"Got it." the Furret nodded, "I think I discovered that he can't just teleport when he's in contact with something. I'll do my best."

The pair both turned towards a broken window leading to a huge drop that had noise fast approaching. The noise's approach rapidly slowed to a halt.

A Latios appeared from below with a Dewott on his back. Although the Flareon recognized them as allies, before speaking the Dewott threw a white object straight at the Flareon on reaction.

Angelo caught the object with both hands and felt a tingly the moment he caught it. The star shape and glow made him realize what it was.

The Dewott cried out a little bit shaking his burnt right arm in the air rapidly.

"He'll be alright." the Latios reported, "The Buizel is fast approaching, and we don't have eyes on a lot of our own or them."

"Go down there with everyone you have and try to take him down." the Furret said, "We'll draw the others from the top of the building. We can search for pokemon later."

The Latios nodded and quickly zoomed to the side and out of sight.

"The ramps and elevators up won't work, though." the Flareon said, "Electricity's down and the ramps got destroyed."

"It's only one floor up. We can both make that short of a jump." the Furret suggested.

"Roof's gotta be unstable now, though." the Flareon frowned, "Maybe we should stay here and I'll clear off what's left above us."

"There's something else unstable above us right now." the Furret blinked.

The gray and white Flareon looked up and had his body immediately tense with an aggressive look in his eyes.

The Zoroark was staring back with an arm over his head and one foot over the ledge to keep himself above them and facing directly towards them. The blue sky was visible just past his body.

"I didn't expect a sense of humor." the Zoroark acknowledged, "One that's not bad, either."

The Zoroark fell with a steel sound ringing out from his feet clanking hard against the floor. He approached with his arms swinging firmly at his sides.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Angelo asked harshly.

The Zoroark only gave a weird as he kept walking forward as the Flareon and Furret backed away slightly.

"Is it cause I'm Maroonian?" Angelo asked.

"What?" the Zoroark stopped walking, "You really stopped this fight to call me racist? What?"

"That's the way that you're looking at me right now. Like you just hate what you see, even though you don't really hate me." Angelo said, "I know the facts that Maroonians are most of the crime, but you have it so personal. Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Personal? Well, I guess I could see where you're coming from there." the Zoroark nodded slightly, "Not doin it on purpose, though. My mom was killed by Maroonians. My dad was practically killed, too. And for me, who knows."

"Do you even know what you're doing?" Angelo asked, "Are you just doing something cause you're being told to and feel like you don't have a choice?"

"Isn't that a you thing?" the Zoroark rolled his eyes, "I'm not here for anyone else but me."

"Yeah you are, look at that." the Flareon pointed.

The Zoroark turned his head down a bit and inspected his arm. Unnatural ice was crawling down to his claw and slowly extending to the pokemon in front of him with an eerie gray glow that flowed like veins.

"For crying out loud, that doesn't even look right." the Furret commented, "It's supposed to be part of your body, not some sort of... Parasite."

The Zoroark looked at the pair with slight concern showing before the ice retracted and he moved his hand around some.

"Aaron!" a voice called.

The Zoroark looked back up at the hole in the roof where he came and saw a Jirachi floating with his arms behind his back.

"Get focused here!" the Jirachi ordered, "Let's do this."

"Yah, yah. I know." the Zoroark shrugged.

The Furret whipped her hand and sent a golden wire around the Jirachi's whole body and tightened around his body.

The gray and white Flareon looked behind them when he heard a clanking sound on the ground behind them. He was suddenly looked right at the Jirachi and his new shield to defend himself from a quick jabbing blow. Another metallic sound rang out on the impact that sent the Jirachi all the way out the window floating in the air.

After seeing the Jirachi's irritated look, Angelo noticed he had identical shields on each arm. Pink pearls surrounded by a gray outline were notably centered on each with pink lines extending out from them on the white background of them.

Although Angelo only rejected one attack, he could tell they had a lot of bio-energy inside.

"He can teleport to those shields!" Angelo shouted.

"Copy!" the Furret shouted.

The Jirachi tossed one of his shields high into the air over the building and went back onto the ground and threw his other with huge force. He was suddenly behind the force of the shield hitting the Flareon's white star shield with no light or indication that he rifted the space.

The tendrils on the Jirachi's back lit up with steel energy and started whipping quickly at the Flareon. He put his hands behind his back and began walking forward with his shield out and occasionally thrashing at him being controlled by his physic powers.

The Flareon got confused when the assault ended until his memory clicked and he turned around as quickly as possible. He put the shield in front of him, but was sent flying back towards the edge of the building from the Jirachi's hard slug, now with both shields on his arms.

The Flareon pulled himself back further in with a thoughtful look.

" _He's only vulnerable to being caught by Abigail's rope when he has both of his shields. I need to pressure him so hard he feels the need to have both of them._ "

The Flareon looked around the Jirachi's lights and saw the Furret wrangling the Zoroark with ropes all over his body bringing him to his knees and close to the ground. She stood strong completely unaffected by his lightning or dark type attacks.

"Disable him!" Angelo called.

The gray and white Flareon rushed at the Jirachi headlong and started to attack by bashing his shield at his body. The Jirachi's whip like tendrils were quickly rejected by the power of the Flareon's arms.

The Flareon kept up his attack until he was looming over the Jirachi and slammed both of his arms against the shields.

The floor gave way like paper, and the Flareon landed on his feet while the Jirachi's back landing hard against the floor under them. It was hard to hear with the noise of the building crumbling, but the Flareon roared and slammed into the Jirachi with his arms again.

The next floor gave way, and the Jirachi landed this time with both of his arms at his side and too discombobulated to bring them in front of his body again.

The Flareon's gripped the Jirachi's body and held his arm with his shield in hand high before slamming it down on the Jirachi's face. The impact sent white sparks flying in the air along with more debris as the next floor crumbled.

The Flareon landed on all four of his limbs as the Jirachi tumbled onto the ground and landed with his face up. His whole body had new light burns, and he winced trying to move before giving up immediately.

The Flareon sighed and walked over to the Jirachi and looked down at his face.

"What on earth is going on with all of this?" Angelo asked.

"Lancelot knew about you and other missing pokemon." Kite said, "He has a monopoly on crime with the N.A., and it's how he's rich. We didn't have another choice." he declared.

"If that's true, you should've told me, and if I saw evidence I would've beat him black and blue myself." Angelo said, "Why was this the only choice?"

The Jirachi coughed on the ground and groaned as his only reply. He looked to his right away from the Flareon with a sad frown. The Flareon looked to the left and right of him before standing back up fully.

The Flareon's ears perked up responsively. He looked behind himself slowly and gasped with questions suddenly burning through his mind.

An Espeon was walking slowly closer and stopped when he had turned around. Her fur was a solid, shining white, and her eyes matched Angelo's with the same expression of concern in each of them, even though they were different colors.

It only took Angelo a second to realize her face.

"Noooo. Nooo. You shouldn't be here." Angelo shook his head, "You're dead. All this time, were you lying? You didn't come back on purpose?"

"Angelo, please." the Espeon said, "It's true, about Lancelot. Yeah? Alright." the Espeon's voice shook, "He only wanted you to help himself"

"Solgaleo? Is that its name?" Angelo asked, "You planned this? You married him for the Maroonian blessing? Is that it?"

"Angelo, please. I love you." the Espeon said, "I can explain everything."

"Did you start that fire!?" Angelo asked.

"I did things to protect you, of course I did!" the Espeon said,, while standing tall, "Why wouldn't I!? Aren't you happy to see me!?"

"You just left me on the streets, but why..." Angelo murmured, "Wait a second, your research to make me stronger. That wasn't just on a whim. You were trying to make a stronger scion, didn't you? You genetically modified me. And the blessing."

"We need something stronger. We still do!" the Espeon argued, "I sent you away to keep you from becoming like him!"

"Then why didn't you stay with me!?" Angelo yelled, "Especially if you really 'love' me?"

"I didn't have time for it." the Espeon answered, "It was a sacrifice. I made an error. It left you-"

"Dumb? Angry!?" Angelo asked, "So you started the fire and left me on the streets where you hoped you wouldn't see me again, yah?"

"Look, the team... Us scions. We needed someone strong, very strong. So I tried something." the Espeon reasoned, "If you weren't a scion, you'd still have a peaceful life right now."

"Peaceful? Where the hell did you think you left me?" Angelo growled.

"Angelo, please." the Espeon said quietly, "I may have had bad judgement taking you away from him, but we have to work together now. I can help you get past all of those problems."

"Problems that you caused and left on their own." Angelo said, "You should've stayed in the grave."

The gray and white Flareon stood on his back legs and his claws came from his paws shining in the light from his body.

"I'll show you the way." Angelo taunted.

Just behind the gray and white Flareon, a Furret landed on the ground and gauged her surroundings.

"Wh-whoa there. Angelo, what is it?" Abigail questioned, "Hey, one mission. And who is... Who is that!?"

On the side of the room, a gold, gentle light moved across the room. The second before anyone could question it, a gold ball of light crashed through the window and landed on the edge of the building. The light dimmed revealing a Buneary's body who's ears popped up seeing the Flareon and Espeon. He remained silent, but heavily eyed the Jirachi.

The silence went on for a short tense moment until the Flareon rushed towards the Espeon and exploded in a vibrant light at her. They both easily cleared the room and crashed out of a window on the far side of the room into the air and out of sight, but explosions and attacks could continuously be heard after.

While everyone was still looking at the hole in the window, a blue arm stretched and grabbed the edge of the building. The arm quickly brought up a Riolu's body onto the ledge and he stood up eagerly.

"Hey." the Riolu greeted, "Beautiful light show outside."

"Get to Kite." the Furret ordered.

The Buneary nodded and cautiously started to move across the room past desks slowly keeping his eyes on the Riolu.

"I wouldn't let him do that if I were you." the Riolu said, "Especially since you care so much about your family."

The Furret put her hands up defensively while staring at the Riolu.

"You know, I have a good amount of access to the power of foresight. Wanna know what's going to happen?" the Riolu asked quietly, "He wants to get to that Jirachi to time travel for the last possible time."

The Furret continued to quietly stare at the Riolu with straight eyes.

"Your mom will die painfully in an accident while she's moving up to the N.A. to meet you, and you'll learn that you're an orphan on the same day you first go to try and see your dad." the Riolu said, "I can show you what I see if you want. I can see that to deal with loss, you try to sing but it doesn't work."

The Buneary paused his moving and stared at the Furret. His eyes grew from fear when he realized that she had started to shake in her stance. He continued ti inch forward as silently as possible.

"Abigail, scions are dead." Luke said, "Civilians missing in the aftermath. Mother and son are about to kill each other and there are robberies and unspeakable crimes happening and no one alive to answer. Don't listen to him. He's lying."

Te Buneary stalked forward with the Jirachi only a few feet away with his arm stretched when it was grabbed by a golden wire, and he was tossed over the Furret's head into a desk that cracked from the impact.

The Buneary rubbed his head and opened his eyes. The Furret's face looked completely shattered and conflicted while she backed up closer to the Jirachi. Her eyes were shaking with water and her arms were closer to her body.

"Is that true?" she asked quietly.

"Even so, you know what's right! I gotta do it!" Luke shouted, "We all do! Please!"

"The world may be all that you have, but my family is all that I've got." Abigail said, "I can tell he isn't lying. I can't live without my family."

"And as for your greater good ideas." the Riolu commented, "You'll die in an alleyway to random muggers without your memories thanks to time travel, accomplishing literally nothing. The Arc blessing goes to someone else, but I can't really see that... Oh, but Lancelot dies too. Interesting..."

"Even if you're right, it won't stop me." the Buneary stood up.

"Yeah." the Riolu agreed quietly, "The scion trained like a soldier might, though."

"No, she won't." Luke spoke up, "Even if he's right, you know what we need to do."

"I know what I have to do." the Furret shook her head.

"You think it's easy for me either?" Luke shouted, "I don't even know who I am and I have to take this risk?"

"I can't." the Furret said.

"I will." the Buneary growled.

The Riolu jumped over the Buneary's head and off of the ceiling to the ground in front of the Furret. He landed on his right arm and spun himself onto his feet turning to face the Buneary.

"No you won't." the Riolu frowned.

The Buneary moved forward almost stomping on the ground and broke into running at the pair jumping off of a desk towards them. The Riolu answered with a flying kick that went past the Buneary's fist and hit his face.

The Buneary flew back into the desk and tumbled back over to the other side of it. He only took one breath before he put himself on the table and jumped off just in front of it again.

"You too may not be that similar, but you're one the same side right now because you're forgetting something that might just be more important than having a family in this world." Luke said, "Sometimes you have to give up things in this world so you can get them in the next one, but you think dying means the endgame when the real one is failing to do your best."

"If I'm not supposed to fight for my family, then who am I supposed to fight for?" the Furret asked angrily, "Soldiers get their will to fight from fighting with their friends with them. Mothers for their family. That's what everyone fights for."

"If you fight and really do what's right, you 're already fighting for your family." the Buneary shook his head, "The family that's doing the same as you."

"That family can't tell me they love me every day." Abigail muttered.

"Yeah they can." Luke nodded, "And you know it, and deep down you believe the same thing I do. I still believe in heroes. And that you, me, Angelo... We all can. Even if Angelo has problems he can't fix and you're missing people forever."

"That doesn't sound good to me!" Abigail shouted.

"I know." Luke said, "You'll be great, Abigail. And Kite, you'll be great, too."

A fast white and pink object whizzed past the Furret's head. Her arms immediately caught it with her lasso as fast as possible and surrounded the shield stopping it in mid-air.

The Furret quickly threw the shield as quickly as she could behind her while maintaining eye contact. The Buneary reached up his arm still looking at the Furret.

The second shield was in midair falling on its arc to the Buneary.

The sound of the shield falling onto the Buneary's arm rang out loudly.

"No! Please!" Abigail shouted, "I need her!"


	62. Prologue 1

A blue super-moon showered streets crowded with pokemon doing a busy dance of activity. Streamers were hanging from building to building all the way down. Even skyscrapers had signs that made whole sections of the roads look like they were lit different colors.

A small cloth moved through all of the lights. It was so small, that even pokemon like Mareep had to look down just a tad to see it moving about. Some minutes after the cloth had passed unnoticed by pokemon, they would sometimes shout are have a calm, questioning look on their faces at various stands for foods or crafts.

It took the cloth five minutes at most to come and leave the street and dart away unnoticed.

Eventually, the pokemon under the cloth looked around himself and relaxed as the streets grew less and less busy as he moved away from the main city. The buildings got smaller and started to look more worn as the pokemon kept moving forwards.

The pokemon looked left and right one last time before taking the uncomfortable cloth off of his white fur. The Eevee simply dropped the dirty thing to the ground and focused on cleaning himself off.

After a minute of walking slowly and brushing himself off, the Eevee's fur gained a soft white glow in the moonlight. He used his arm and wiped fur from in front of his face and aimed his eyes all around to take in the sights again.

His left eye blended into his body with a smooth white, while his right eye was where most other pokemon's eyes were drawn. Irritated by thinking about it, he mostly covered it with fur as usual and kept moving on.

The band of thieves he had to work with were currently using abandoned buildings that had been forgotten beyond being demolished. They had made their own renovations to keep the building safe enough to live in, but didn't have time for anything else.

The streetlights thinned and the streets were covered with moss as he continued to walk far out of range of all the festive noise.

He was daydreaming moving especially slow when a loud noise from up ahead snapped him back to reality. It fell back to silence and the yelling that followed fell into chatter momentarily after.

The Eevee took sneaking bounds forward to avoid noise and crept up to the scene low to the ground.

The building was an old home with holes on all sides that stood alone with an overgrown lawn and plants growing in it. Most of the house's white wood wasn't visible anymore, and there were few streetlights to make light reflect from it. Windows were broken dangerously on the top floor while they were completely missing on the bottom.

The Eevee slowly approached the building hiding easily in the grass that went way over his head until he was close enough to hear perfectly.

"That's not what we're here for." a female voice spoke, "We're here for one specific thing."

"But mom, they're thieves!" a younger girl's voice answered, "You can tell!"

"Jennifer, we'll discuss this later." the female voice answered in a hushed tone, "Now then. We need to retrieve and study that stone in your possession and we'll be on our way."

"We can't." another voice answered.

Recognizing the Heliolisk's calm voice, the Eevee felt comfortable enough to peer his head out from the grass too look inside from one of the smaller holes in the walls.

"It's our one good in this world to protect it. It's best in small hands, or it'll fall out." the Heliolisk explained, "No government can have this."

"You know what happens if we're refused by civilians and it interferes with our missions." a Lucario explained, "Please cooperate."

"We all need to do our share of protecting the world." the Heliolisk said, "I understand that the motto of the Nightlight Association is 'For the sake of us all'. That is exactly why you need to leave and deal with whatever comes of it."

"Then it would appear that we are in a conflict." the Lucario announced, "Anyone who doesn't want to be apart of this may leave."

"A-and whoever d-does may join?" the Eevee asked.

The Lucario raised an eyebrow and tilted her head to look around the Heliolisk. The white Eevee pulled himself up from the whole in the wall onto the dirty, concrete floor in a fluid motion and stood beside him.

"Light, you should leave too." the Heliolisk said, "It's a good opportunity for you."

"I know it is." the Eevee nodded, "But this is more important."

The Eevee noticed a Riolu just behind the Lucario's feet shivering.

"I'm still willing to make talks with you over it." the Lucario offered, "I understand how dangerous this is. We can work something out, and the N.A. doesn't need to have it. Just show it to me."

The Heliolisk nodded with his lips pressed together.

"Don't have much choice, do I?" the Heliolisk muttered, "Fine. Stay right there."

The Heliolisk lazily looked above him and grunted. A small electric charge went up his arm as he held it upwards and fired it to make small chunks of wood fall. With the same arm, he caught the completely white, round stone in his hand and held it out in front of him.

"It's durable." the Heliolisk explained, "But still dangerous."

"It has a weak aura to it, too. Definitely alive." the Lucario observed, "But I have a proposition on how to handle this. We could kill it."

"What!?" the Heliolisk asked loudly, "Moron!"

"Six months ago, you determined that it was undoubtedly a Legendary pokemon. They were all meant to lose their physical forms while interacting with the world thousands of years ago." the Lucario said, "It makes logical sense. You get rid of its body and the threat, and it all goes down as street folklore."

"As swell as the ending sounds, we have no idea if that's how it will go." the Heliolisk shook his head, "Neither of us know anything."

"I took this mission because I'm up to the task." the Lucario explained, "I have a weapon made out of aura that should be able to pierce it for a swift, respectful end."

"Even if it was true, it's not the most moral solution I've heard." the Heliolisk replied sharply.

"I'm not giving you the choice, so it's only my morals on the line." the Lucario replied coldly, "I understand that you and this... 'Bandit prince', aren't exactly excited about how you live."

The Heliolisk's only reply was blinking and taking a deep, unnoticeable breath.

"You two are pretty peaceful, and the only ones here at the moment." she continued, "I could have you go away to live in peace, and anyone who would try to follow you because they know about the boy's talent would be ambushed here tonight. You've done our kind a great service already."

The Heliolisk silently gawked at what the Lucario was saying.

"Your saying that if I go along with this, we can just leave the city and go wherever we want clean?" the Heliolisk asked, "You're a Nightlight agent for the government, and you're offering this?"

"Less danger, less crime, more peace." the Lucario clarified, "This offer comes from high up. We believe this is how to best deal with this whole situation for everyone. But you need to understand that even though this pokemon will 'die', it's still a very much alive force. Legendary pokemon having bodies is dangerous, that's why they don't anymore."

"But if anyone in the world had a problem with this, it'd be our necks." the Heliolisk shook his head, "So many things we don't know is really risky, lady."

"You're willing to take risks for him, though." the Lucario inquired, "Yes?"

"Risks for his benefit, not risks that could be horrible." the Heliolisk clarified.

"Again, you lack the choice. Because of my certainty, of course." the Lucario smiled, "Take the things, take your boy, and wait outside on the lawn until the deed is done, then you may leave."

The Heliolisk set the stone on the ground slowly and stood straight again keeping his eyes on the Lucario. The Heliolisk defensively walked between her and the Eevee as he walked them outside of the building.

The Heliolisk kept his eyes looking back until they were wall onto the walkway completely overtaken by weeds. They both stopped at the end of it just by the street and faced the building.

"There are probably more Nightlight agents all around us." the Heliolisk whispered, "Sorry, kid."

"They c-can't kill it." the white Eevee muttered, "W-what do we d-do?"

"If something happens, we'll support the Nightlights in whatever safe way we can." the Heliolisk said, "That way it won't be on our heads and we can get away."

The white Eevee continued to glare at the house while squinting his eyes to try and see through the dark.

After a short moment, he blinked uncomfortably at sudden light coming from inside. He felt heat coming from it on his face seeming to make him get a headache that nearly sent him on the floor with pain.

The Heliolisk reacted and wrapped his arm around the Eevee's chest and leaped backwards repeatedly. Embers started to glow around the house making it catch fire so intensely that only the shadows of the fleeing pokemon were visible.

Although they were far into the street, the lawn catching fire made the smoke and heat intimidating for the whole street while the Heliolisk carefully set the Eevee down.

"Light, what's wrong!?" the Heliolisk half-shouted, "I need you up!"

"It's like..." the Eevee huffed, "I-I can f-feel it."

The white Eevee dragged himself to his feet and was able to shake off the dizzy, pained feeling in his head to a level low enough to ignore. Although fire was sending a plume of black smoke into the sky, and unmistakable white wing with claws outstretched high into the air with a fast but stable movement.

A loud, rumbling sound accompanied the fire's growing and blasting outwards from the center. The Heliolisk reacted by stepping in front of the Eevee and using the move protect to make a green shield for both of them. Sparks of it flew off from it's sides making the Eevee stay directly behind the Heliolisk to be safe from the force of air and fire.

The force quickly stopped letting the pair see in front of them again. A looming, white figure cast a shadow with light coming from its body. It outstretched giant wings to either side of its body and stood itself on legs like trees with feet that had claws times over the size of the Eevee's body.

It's blue eyes opened and swiveled around aimlessly until they settled and sharpened looking at the Heliolisk and white Eevee.

"Whatever they did just made it crazed." the Heliolisk whispered, "Don't look away. We need to back up, nice and calm."

The Heliolisk and white Eevee both only managed to take a short step to the right before another sound rang out. A small, yellow projectile was fired at the white behemoth's face from a nearby tree and made it close one eye.

The pokemon turned it's enormous face and immediately retaliated by firing a white beam of energy at the tree with double the speed that immediately caused an explosions that sent burning branches flying off of it.

It turned his head back at the Heliolisk and Eevee preparing the same attack, but its head suddenly continued to swivel and it fired the attack and made a smoking hole in the brick road to their right.

Pokemon were charging at it quickly from all directions. Smaller and larger pokemon were all helping to carry ropes across the ground and were throwing it at the large, white pokemon with different methods.

"Light, stay back." the Heliolisk ordered, "Let's see what's going on."

The white pokemon waved its wings against the ground keeping pokemon from getting close to it. The white Eevee was left alone with the Heliolisk racing forward helping a falling Swadloon.

The white Eevee maintained a scared eye contact with the pokemon as it tried to trudge forward. Ropes began to drape its head and tangle around it's legs making it harder for it to walk. It flapped its wings sending ropes and wind all around the Eevee.

The white pokemon suddenly moved back at strong attacks hitting his front. The ropes behind the Eevee tripped him and tangled him just enough to stop him from standing back up.

The white Eevee grabbed two ropes to get them off his legs, but his arms got stuck together by a rope that went around them when the giant white pokemon tugged again.

Light decided to keep his hands and feet near his neck to avoid having any ropes tie around it. He progressively got dragged towards the white pokemon quickly until he found that his whole body was completely immobile and he was strapped to the white pokemon's body.

"Hey!" Light screamed, "H-hey! Someone cut this!"

The white Eevee grunted at the rumbles from the onslaught of attacks making contact. They soon stopped when the enormous white pokemon flapped it wings and made a small, sharp roar.

Although no one voice was distinguishable, Light heard shouts that the pokemon was running.

The white Eevee used his energy to power up his voice and made one last cry for help. Pokemon's eyes finally went onto the Eevee.

A Heliolisk reacted first by charging forward on his feet as fast as he could over the smoking remains of the lawn.

Light felt heat growing from his back as the white pokemon's wings began to move upward and stopped at their highest height.

The Heliolisk was too far, but jumped forwards anyways as the pokemon's wings began to crash down.

The Heliolisk was burned and sent flying back from a fierce, red flash. The next thing he remembered was looking up at the sky lying on his back. He reached out a shaky, blackened arm out towards the sky.

A smoky trail extended all the way to a meteor that was outshining the moon glowing white and red.

The Heliolisk kept reaching shakily with desperation until his arm gave out and fell to the ground beside him.

Able to see that he was attached to the pokemon's back side, the white Eevee looked back at the plume of fire that whirred to the sound of a generator. Completely unable to move, he stared down at the ground looking at the city getting smaller and moving away from him. Eventually, the scenery faded to dark as the city went out of site.

Light closed his eyes stopping trying to struggle against the ropes and grit his teeth angrily before giving up altogether. Despite the circumstances, he kept himself being sane by being purely analytical and calmly studying for a way out.

" _Willing to bet most pokemon have never traveled this fast. I need to make it land on its own. It'll get tired, but I need it to land somewhere not horrific._ "

The Eevee continued to think and try gnawing at the ropes around him for a split second before realizing it'd make him fall. The scenery right below him was changing constantly because of how fast they were moving.

Strategically, the white Eevee gnawed at a roped that was holding his head and upper body close against the white pokemon's side. He was able to turn his head and look around in more directions. He didn't time how long it took for him to gnaw at the rope, but he knew it definitely was lots of hours.

When he looked around with a new sunrise, he didn't recognize the landscape at all, but gawked when he realized that they were above the ocean completely out of sight of land.

" _This is what the ocean looks like in person... But it's so many miles to the ocean. How fast are we going!?_ "

After Light had stared at the waves for a short moment, he looked back in the direction of the pokemon's tail and saw that the ropes down there had caught fire. The pokemon's fur was slowly turned brown and black from the flames.

" _It's burning itself? That can't be normal. No choice, I need to stop it's flying now._ "

Light was about to gnaw at the ropes at his legs, but decided to wait for the ropes down by its tail to burn and release him instead. Feeling the grip between him and the pokemon's side weaken, he used his claws and gripped hard onto the pokemon's white fur with all of his limbs.

Once the ropes fell away, the white Eevee began to climb up to the pokemon's back always keeping three limbs attached and pulling himself up with the next.

Once Light was on the pokemon's back, he was able to see it's head and decided to make that his next destination. Fur only a couple of normal paces away from him was steaming with the only thing saving him from feeling hot was the wind's intense direction from their travel.

The white Eevee climbed the pokemon's neck with the same method. He had just noticed long tendrils coming from its head like ears had a red color on the ends of them.

Once he made it to the top, he trudged forward scared of falling off and the pokemon's reaction to seeing him. He slowly inched towards the pokemon's right eye and looked vertically down on it from just over it.

" _I know I'm a small Eevee, but this pokemon's definitely a Titan class..._ "

He nervously waved a paw in front of the blue of it's eye and evoked a loud, high-pitched scream from it. He retraced his paw immediately and held on tightly as the pokemon started to shake it's head harshly.

The Eevee stayed on its head, but soon lost the grip is legs had on it's fur and was hanging solely by his arms screaming nervously.

The fur he was holding slipped through his fingers and sent sent him flying off the pokemon even higher than he already was. After going through a cloud, and reaching the maximum height, he grabbed towards nothing out of instinct before he began to fall.

Without anything else to do as he fell, he braced his body for impact with anything by focusing as much energy to his body for surviving as he could.

" _Ok, falling from the stratosphere. I'm smaller than a normal Eevee, so ten pounds... Two thousand or so miles per hour!?_ "

Although it could've been a rush of adrenaline, the Eevee felt his body ignite with new energy that felt unfamiliar. He felt his left eye seemingly tense making him close it while his right didn't and started to feel as if his instincts changed.

To try and slow his fall, he fired out strong pulses of energy from his arms that were much more intense than he had tried before. As he grew closer to the ground, the energy grew more intense making his fall take much longer. He saw a small amount of land he was rapidly approaching, and at the last couple of seconds before he landed, he crossed his arms in front of them and landed with a huge thud that sent him into sand.

Although he didn't feel any pain, he couldn't make a cohesive thought, and passed out on his side before he could open his eyes.


	63. Prologue 2

Rocks were falling in complete black in random directions. Some were floating completely still and others gently, while others were projectiles to avoid.

Feet hit the rock ground with a metal ring at each fast step. They suddenly slammed onto the ground and stopped the Audino from moving any further. She had red patches and scars all over her body that overtook the cream and pink color of her species.

The Audino stood on a ledge looking out at pitch black and squinted her eyes before giving up blandly.

The Audino took off a small device that was strapped to her back with wires and looked through the lens after pushing a small button on top of the rectangular, metal pair of goggles.

Through the lenses, the Audino could see a long body's form facing to the right.

"Not much bigger, good." she voiced, "But, still bigger. Bad. Let's see here..."

The Audino unfolded and set a large piece of paper down on the ground sitting on its edge to keep it from moving.

"That fortress needs to go this week, but I've never tried taking down anything that large before. Fifty or so pokemon to a couple hundred is a big increase."" the Audino shook her head, "I'll secure a route Tuesday, and Wednesday... Mmmmm."

The Audino groaned and rolled her eyes.

"No, first week of high school starts Wednesday." the Audino frowned, "Friday night, then. Pretty sure that's when everyone parties, sooo... Sure. Let's go with that."

After marking down a spot on her map, the Audino folded it back up and stood up staring at the 'empty' space. She felt a prick in her heart that made her whisper angrily.

"It's so hard to be mad at you. You didn't do anything wrong to become like this." the Audino hissed, "I don't know who to be mad at anymore. But if mom and dad were here, I know they'd tell me the right answer, or at least one of them."

The Audino tapped her foot against the ground making a small, metallic ringing noise.

"Mom, dad. The bottoms of my feet. Needing to use the book by its cover phrase if I ever wanted to date. All just taken by a dead husk that can't even speak anymore. Just feels... Empty." the Audino complained, "So empty that I'm actually talking to myself."

The Audino turned to leave, but gave one last hateful glare back at the empty space. She left with her feet making the ringing noise faster and faster as she picked up the pace to leave.


	64. Prologue 3

With little preparation, a Furret left out from her work behind a restaurant hopeful it would be for the last time. The last couple of months tired out Abigail without end, so she decided to head go towards something easier for her.

The Furret set the broom against the brick wall out back at the restaurant and took off her white cap and apron. A Bellossom turned the corner from the street and stood at the end waiting for her.

"I'm right here, Abigail!" the Bellossom called.

The Furret nodded quietly and went over to her after setting her things down.

"Are you ready?" the Bellossom asked, "The exams are pretty well-known for-"

"I know." the Furret sighed, "Everyone keeps bothering me about it."

"Yeah, sorry." the Bellossom nodded, "I'm just intimidated for you, dear."

"Don't be, trust me." the Furret said confidently, Let's head over."

"Aren't you going to clean up first?" she asked shyly.

"Why?" Abigail asked harshly.

"Nothing." the Bellossom said, "Ready, dear."

The Furret took a stride next to the Bellossom before they began walking away side by side. The time was around three in the afternoon, and the stone streets were far from empty. The busy feeling only made the Furret speed walk slightly faster along with the Bellossom.

The buildings started to turn from small businesses and homes to large stores and taller buildings as they continued. They only had about an hour to walk a few miles to the largest skyscraper on the continent.

The skyscraper was almost all black with one-way glass with the exception being blue window divisors that lit up at night. The base of the tower was surrounded by a plaza area where pokemon would usually talk in larger groups. The Furret and Bellossom passed by those groups without stopping.

The Bellossom led the way inside being the one to cause a large set of double doors open. The ground floor was filled with desks and digital signs of information one them.

Abigail followed the Bellossom the desk where she had already started pressing a couple of icons.

"I'll handle everything, just get ready for when they call you." the Bellossom said, "And no matter what happens."

"Don't worry. I'm fine." Abigail insisted, "And thanks."

"I think there might be a line or group over there forming for it. They all look new." the Bellossom noted, "So, you can go near there as soon as I get your pass."

Abigail nodded and waited while looking around the desks of the room. There was only mild activity in the building at the time, but she listened to enough conversations to miss when a pokemon had come and given the Bellossom the pass. She woke up from her daydreaming when the Bellossom tapped her.

"Here you go." she offered, "You're all set. I asked, and I could come with you and watch."

"That sounds fine." the Furret nodded, "And thanks, but it's alright. I'm good."

The Furret led the way towards the group of pokemon standing around in a large, messy circle. She stayed in the outskirts of it not joining the conversation about what the tests could be.

After a while, a Blaziken approached the group with a Persian and Nuzleaf at his side. They came with the Blaziken announcing them showing their badges. The pokemon all formed a line with the small amount of watchers on the side while they went forward. The Furret found herself in the back of the line as they went into the huge, circular elevator.

The Blaziken up in front pushed in buttons and scanned some sort of device before the doors closed with the elevator lights shining as bright as daylight.

The elevator only went up two floors. When the doors retreated back, the floor they were walking into was a completely empty space except for lights that were in the indented ceiling. Because of the windows, the spring outside was completely visible on any side of the room. The only place the Furret couldn't see outside was the side of the wall with the elevator's doors.

From a little research, Abigail knew they had these floors for battle practice for differently ranked Nightlight agents for fighting. She already had a guess for their next announcement.

"For tryouts here, we look first at what we're currently in need of the most." the Blaziken explained, "Right now is combat ability, and we'll go down the line of things we need until you either have a chance to shine. And we'll continue to push you until we see your upper limits. That being said, we'll keep you on your toes and lead off with the back of the line."

The Furret sighed just almost audibly and walked past the pokemon ahead up towards them. The Nuzleaf and Persian both looked at the Blaziken questioningly before he spoke up.

"I'll do this test, and we'll each have one at a time." the Blaziken said, "Come with me towards the center." The Blaziken waved his arm out at the Nuzleaf and Persian. "You two take the next two."

After going to the center, the Blaziken faced towards the Furret from a short distance. "At your ready. Try and land a few good hits."

The Furret observed the Blaizken quickly. He was in a posture he was taking seriously, but she saw the unbalance showing itself in his shaking left arm. His plan was to simply move on his toes while she swung. She could already tell her training was a lot more than his, but she expected it.

The Furret walked forward aggressively with her arms swinging at her side. The Blaziken wasn't sure how to react and decided to strike first with a left punch. The Furret side stepped multiple punches and continued to walked forward while he walked back until he made an attempt to kick at her.

The Furret grabbed the Blaziken foot in her arms and hefted him over her shoulder in a circle slamming him into the ground. He barely got his arms in front of him in time when his entire front slammed into the ground and looked stuck to it for a few seconds before he started to get himself up.

At the halfway point, he turned his head back to the Furret. "You're all set. I'll give you something to give to the desks downstairs. They'll explain from there."

"Thanks." Abigail nodded in his direction. She patiently waited holding her hands in front of her for him to get up and walk over to her. From a tiny bag he was carrying, he sifted through it and handed her a purple card.

"Give it to a desk downstairs and they'll see to your next step. Elevator will automatically bring you down." the Blaziken huffed, "No need to stay."

"Thank you." the Furret nodded, "I'll go head down then."

"And don't dent the elevator when you push the button." the Blaziken chuckled. The Furret smirked invisibly and gave a small nod as she continued walking forward.

The Furret held the purple card close to her side making it less visible. The other pokemon were still crowding around sloppily around the Nuzleaf and Persian around the entrance. None of them seemed to notice her walk past them to the elevator.

After stepping inside, Abigail looked at the buttons and pressed in the one for the main floor lightly. The elevator doors closed before any pokemon had even glanced her way. The empty elevator made her feel awkward. It was the only one in the building, but was massive to carry large amounts of pokemon at the time. Looking behind her made her shiver a bit, so she simply kept looking forward till the doors opened the the first floor.

A Bellossom glanced he way before staring at her surprisingly. She politely took a second to finish a conversation with a Vileplume before meeting the Furret's advance. She had her arms up around her face while approaching. They met around the back corner of the whole floor, and the only desk nearby wasn't being used.

"Abigail? What happened? How are you done already!?" the Bellossom asked. Her arms waved around shakily.

"I think I did pretty good." Abigail smiled, "Got this card. Supposed to give it to the desk."

The Furret showed her the card holding it low.

"Ah, uhm. Oh. Uhm, dear. I didn't know. Ah."

The Furret looked followed her eyes all over the place until they landed on her. The Bellossom's arms retreated down away from her face, but were still held up by tension.

"Those cards are new here. They were implemented just a few months ago for tryouts." she explained, "They were to differentiate the levels of the pokemon that tried out. No one's gotten purple before."

"Wh-" the Furret blinked, "Oh. Oh, ah..."

"Are you trained?" the Bellossom asked quietly. She started to avoid eye contact focusing on other part of the Furret's face. "You know, I don't too much about you. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'm just offering myself here."

"No, it's alright." Abigail said, "Yeah, I'm trained. My mom found teachers for me. Had lots of connections, so it was made pretty easy for me."

Noticing a crack in her voice, the Bellossom just nodded sullenly.

"I won't pry, it's alright." the Bellossom said quietly. "But, just so you know, it's a big deal. You can still go back up and ask for a silver or gold card."

"Well..." the Furret shuffled, "If I did turn this in, what would happen?"

"Lots of attention." the Bellossom said, "Look, I know my advice doesn't have much weight behind it, but you can always tryout again for the purple card when you're a bit more... Ready. You're going through a lot."

"Do I look crazy or something?" Abigail frowned.

The Bellossom winced, but looked down slightly. "Yes. Just messy fur to everyone else, but you need help. Everyone does."

"So when you fostered me, I just made you pity me? Or was it a new year's resolution?" Abigail asked dully.

"I felt for you because I knew the feelings you could be going through." she said, "I won't stop you, but pokemon that have spent their lives in towers aren't going to care about your well-being like I do."

"And you think I can't handle them?" Abigail asked, "I just don't understand. Why would holding me back help anything? I could help you out, it could be so much easier for us."

"I don't want you to be taken advantage of." she shook her head. The Bellossom breathed in deeply before continuing. "That's my top priority. It's not about if you could, it's about how I could help make all of this easier..."

The Furret looked around in a circle with her arms drooping. She looked back at the Bellossom.

"Look, I'm proud of you no matter what." she said plainly. "Wanting a job that's all about helping pokemon is great, but that card's intense. It's more than a job. It's a life. And I care about it."

"I barely have a life." Abigail huffed. She looked around again, but she couldn't settle her eyes on the Bellossom. "I just work, eat, and sleep. And I don't want to do that anymore. I can't."

"But are you ready?" she asked, "And I can't answer that for you. It's completely up to you."

The Furret looked at the Bellossom dead in the eyes for a short moment.

"Yeah." Abigail nodded, "I'm ready."

"Just a second." the Bellossom said.

The Bellossom took out a small device from somewhere and put it up to her face. She clicked a button on the side, and a flash hit the Furret's body suddenly.

"Oh." Abigail sounded.

"I'll hold on to this picture. For you." the Bellossom said, "Now you can find a desk with a pokemon and turn it in there. And just be yourself."

"Thanks." Abigail said. She scratched the back of her head quickly for just a second. "And, thanks. For looking out."

"Always." the Bellossom smiled, "Go on, now. I've kept you too long."

Abigail acknowledged her with a confident smile and turned to the rest of the room. She found a Simipour behind a desk on her own and walked over to her with her card at her side.

She walked in a circle around the desk attempting to meet the Simipour's eyes, but they faced downwards staring and working on something on the display of the desk.

"Excuse me?" Abigail voiced, "I was told to turn in a card."

The Simipour looked up and smiled lightly. "Yes, you can do that right here."

"Alright."

The Furret extended her arm with the card in it to the Simipour. The Simipour reacted visibly with wide eyes that met the Furret's.

"Well, actually." the Smimipour started, "For these cards I can scan them in and register you, but I would have to have you meet with a council member for confirmation that you wouldn't normally have to meet with. We'd need to schedule a time for this as well."

"A council member?" Abigail asked, "Why?"

"This card gives a recommendation for becoming a Master rank Nightlight straight from tryouts, and it's only offered if a Platinum rank or higher is soundly beaten in combat. It's a big jump, so they like to be very aware of what force we have. They know all of the Master rank pokemon well, and they might make more tests and do some other things."

"When's the earliest time open?" Abigail asked.

"If memory is still my strong suit, it should be at around nine tonight. I believe they'll have time then." she said, "All I need is your name."

"Abigail Frisk." the Furret answered. She got a another look of surprise from the Simipour that had an added questioning look.

"Oh, sorry... Miss." the Simipour shook her head, "Abigail Frisk, you said?"

The Furret swiveled her head sending fur away from her face for a second before throwing a nod. The Simipour smiled awkwardly and typed her name down on the touch screen of the desk.

"Alright, you're all set. Just come back to the desks tonight and you'll be squared away. And keep the card. You can use it to wait upstairs with your mom if you would like, or continue watching the other tryouts if you're curious."

Abigail thanked her and went back over to the lone Bellossom. The Bellossom stood patiently waiting for her to talk.

"Hey, I think I'm just gonna wait upstairs for a few hours." Abigail said. Her tone gave it a hint of asking permission. "They just want to do some type of interview thing. You can head home if you want..."

"You know I'm gonna wait with you." the Bellossom smiled, "C'mon, now."

"Ah, alright." Abigail smirked, "The second floor is a lobby for members, so it should be a little quieter."

"I don't quite think so." the Bellossom smiled lightly, "Keep that card close."

The Furret led the Bellossom into the elevator that had remained unused because of it being still early in the afternoon.

"How do they keep pokemon they don't want inside from the second floor lobby?" the Bellossom asked, "It's only for agents, right?"

"They'll have guards when the elevator opens check things out." Abigail explained, "For other floors, you just need to scan your stuff for it to go there. They don't really have any intruders because pokemon outside of the Association are easy to spot."

"You sure have some research done." she commented, "Have you looked into this place before? I've only ever been to Nightlight Domes... Come to think of it, isn't it possible you'd be assigned to go to one of those?"

"All master rank and above pokemon have their quarters in this building. So I think I'll be here if it goes well." the Furret shrugged slightly.

The Bellossom was visibly thinking on her face when the elevator doors opened. Before they got a good look at the plaza, two Machamps turned their heads towards them from the sides of the elevator.

Both of their eyes moved smoothly over them in a split second until they gave a calm nod and spoke.

"Excuse us, you two, but you have a master rank card with you there." the Machamp said, "Could you wait with us over here while he calls someone? We think that someone may have something more urgent to brief you on."

The Furret nodded while the Bellossom voiced her agreement. The plaza inside was huge with activity. Despite it being the second floor, there was grass and dirt paths making it look like a park and shops set up in a line along the pathways. With all of the strange inside buildings, Abigail couldn't see much further ahead and look up instead. She got a little vertigo from looking at the first second.

The Bellossom paid more attention to the Machamp who was calling on a small box device with a keypad and a speaker held up to his head.

"They're available now, so there's no reason to wait down here unless you would like some time." the Machamp explained. The Bellossom turned to the Furret.

"If you're ready." the Bellossom said.

"Of course." Abigail nodded.

"Alright, should only be a couple minutes." the Machamp said, "Wait down here, Justin. I'll be back."

The Furret trotted last into the elevator while the Machamp operated it this time. The wait consisted of the Machamp slightly talking to the Bellossom about why they only had one elevator. Although she already knew, the Machamp explained that the elevator went to certain floors and pokemon went to different ones using ramps from those floors. The big elevator helped more larger scale movement.

The Bellossom occasionally looked at the Furret, but found she had no reaction as the Machamp explained it. The Machamp finally looked back and addressed her.

"We'll be up there in under a minute now. The whole floor is dedicated to the Council, so make any last second preparations."

"Thanks." Abigail said, "I'm all set."

Just before she finished saying that, the elevator stopped moving and the doors opened. There was a lot more open space than she anticipated. The floors were made out of formal white tiles, and the room was shape around in a semicircle with all the wooden seats facing one direction the room's center of object. There weren't any windows on the whole floor, wich was completely visible at once.

The main object of interest in the room was a large chair with the Valorian flag's symbol on its back. It was the shape of a circle with two drops of water falling of either side outlined in blue.

Only an older-looking Roserade and Swellow were in the room. Both of them looked over and continued their conversation while they moved towards them slowly. The Furret, Machamp, and Bellossom met them around the back isle of the room, which was still a decent ways away from the elevator.

"Hello there." the Roserade greeted, "Do we have our first purple card?"

The Furret held it up slightly so it was in view in reply. Both the Swellow and Roserade nodded and gave her a harder look.

"Every high ranking member is an investment of tax money." the Swellow said, "Girls make up about ten percent of high ranking members, and five percent of those being mostly in the intellectual studies. Sorry Abigail, but you're not a worthy investment."

The Bellossom stared wide-eyed, while the Roserade simply looked on in silent agreement. The Furret blinked and thought to herself. She'd never encountered this kind of thing before. It wasn't extremely surprising, but she only had a short moment to take an action. After turning to look at their faces, Abigail swallowed and spoke up.

"Must be some mistake somewhere down the line. My name's Adam." the Furret said. The tension in the room got heavy on her chest. The Bellossom shifted to be part of the conversation.

"Adam Frisk, my adopted son." the Bellossom introduced, "He gets mixed up with an Abigail for a few reasons."

"Oh. Oh, wow. I can imagine." the Swellow chuckled slightly.

"In that case," the Roserade smiled, "We'll give you our stamp of approval, and we'll just have you head downstairs resubmit the paperwork. And from they're you'll be squared away. Welcome."

"Thank ya." the Furret took a small bow.

The Roserade and Swellow walked closer into the room, with the Machamp joining them to ask a few questions. The Furret and Bellossom both watched them carefully while they backed out nervously to the elevator.

When they got inside and the elevator door closed, the Bellossom let out a huge, exasperated sigh.

"Did we really just do that to government leaders?" the Bellossom asked quietly and sharply.

"Leader is a... Funny word." the Furret squeaked.

"Someone save us." the Bellossom shook her head, "Someone save us, Abigail."

"Hey, hey..." the Furret frowned, "Adam."

"Holy crap." the Bellossom whispered.


End file.
